INDUCEMENTS TO GROW WHEAT 121 



process of restoring to the plough the 4,000,000 acres 

 put down to grass in the last forty years. 



The advantages of this method would be that — 



(a) The price of wheat to the consumer would 



not be raised ; and 



(b) The farmer would be given a strong induce- 



ment to cultivate his wheat land inten- 

 sively, so as to secure as large a yield per 

 acre as possible. 



63. The proposal of a guaranteed price for wheat 

 has met with opposition from some who think that 

 it would involve an undue preference to a particular 

 class of farmer in the country, and would consequently 

 involve an unfair discrimination against others, such 

 as the farmers in the West of England, whose main 

 business is the growing of meat and the production 

 of milk. Two answers are made to this objection. 

 The first is that the milk farmer has a monopoly and 

 is completely protected from foreign competition. 

 No fresh milk is imported. The meat raiser is not 

 completely protected, but his foreign competition is 

 less than 50 per cent., and since the introduction of 

 chilled beef some years ago he has maintained his 

 position. The second is that a minimum guarantee 

 for wheat would in our opinion tend to cheapen cattle 

 foods, and thus lower the cost of raising meat. If at 

 the same time the export of millers' offals were pro- 

 hibited, the dairy and pig industry would at once 

 derive a great benefit. This would be particularly 

 helpful to small holders. 



64. In addition to guaranteeing the minimum price 

 9* 



