GEKMANY 15 



and the government policy is little but a policy of 

 stimulating agriculture, and is conducted by ministers 

 largely drawn from the farming classes, many of 

 whom have been small farmers themselves. 



* Germany. — The very striking improvement in 

 German agriculture which took place during the 

 thirty years from 1883 to 1913 is comparable with 

 that of Denmark, though it is of a more varied nature 

 and took place on somewhat different lines. In 1883 

 agricultural production in Germany was distinctly 

 backward, and the produce of crops, per acre, compared 

 very unfavourably with that of England. During the 

 thirty years in question, the total production of the 

 country of cereals and potatoes was more than doubled, 

 and though part of this increase was due to the fact 

 that more land was brought under the plough, still 

 the nature of the progress may be judged by the large 

 increase of produce, per acre, which has taken place 

 during this period. This amounts to about 70 per 

 cent, in the case of both cereals and potatoes. It 

 might have been thought that the increase in the 

 area of cultivation would have been accomplished with 

 corresponding loss of live stock, due to diminishing 

 grazing grounds. That this has not taken place the 

 statistics show, for there has been a 25 per cent, 

 increase in horses and cattle. It is true that a marked 

 change has taken place in the substitution of pigs for 

 sheep. During the thirty years in question Germany 



* K 



The recent development of German Agriculture," by T. H. 

 Midclleton, published by Ministry of Agriculture, London, 1917, 



