THE STATE AS FARMER 97 



Farmer ' (British Review, February 191 5) uses 

 these words : 



Even with the present slovenly methods, a good 

 season may throw such quantities of fruit and 

 vegetables on the market that they scarcely pay for 

 the harvesting and carriage. Why apply scientific 

 methods to produce more ? 



On an earlier page I have used the word 

 ' rotting ' instead of the expression ' scarcely 

 pay for the harvesting,' and I have referred 

 to the fact that neglected fruit trees harbour 

 all sorts of vegetable and insect pests. The 

 scientific methods are required first to deal 

 with this dirty fruit farming, and next to 

 handle the crops in the way that the A.O.S. 

 — Mr. Harris and Mr. Press — are ever burning 

 to explain and describe. Grading, pulping, 

 and scientifically conducted transport and 

 sale would take a vast tonnage of this ' whole- 

 some and pure food product ' to thousands 

 of poor homes. Think what delight, which 

 itself is health, would come to the boys and 

 girls, what improved and varied diet to their 

 parents, if we could make use of the gluts 

 we already have in this natural way ! When 

 we have eradicated disease and pests the 



