THE STATE AS FARMER 121 



education. Things are, no doubt, slightly 

 better now, and through co-operation the 

 farmer may see cause to respect the learned 

 manager. But the agricultural degree is not 

 yet as it should be — the only passport to the 

 management of land. 



The Board of Agriculture is the kindest, 

 most long-suffering Department that any 

 State in any age has conceived. It is not 

 at present well housed, but that drawback 

 seems only to emphasise its simplicity and 

 bonhomie : any genuine inquirer can walk 

 in and have his case listened to with the 

 utmost courtesy by one or other member of 

 the secretary's staff. There is no need for me 

 here to enter upon debatable subjects. In a 

 few cases of the Board's action it may have 

 taken a line which other experts disapprove. 

 In general it seems to be actuated by wisdom 

 and guided by learning, but in science we are 

 never sure that the wisest and best has been 

 discovered. 



The change that I am pressing upon public 

 attention is of an entirely different order from 

 such expert disagreements. The last thing I 



