2 INTRODUCTION 



greatest of all industries. In the case of 

 agriculture the first two laws are solved by 

 nature. Vast enterprises for our clothing and 

 housing exist to protect us against the vagaries 

 of climate ; we can be carried from one end of 

 the world to another at a speed that till 

 recently would have been incredible ; human 

 ingenuity is taxed to its utmost to supply the 

 comforts and luxuries which are demanded by 

 the trend of modern life. But huge though 

 these ventures may be in themselves — and it 

 would be difficult to imagine a retrograde step 

 in their evolution — they fade to insignificance 

 when contrasted with the industry of food on 

 which the very existence of humanity depends. 

 Nature demands to be fed : and so long as the 

 human race survives, so long will there be a 

 demand for food ; and so long as the human 

 race multiplies and prospers, must the increased 

 demand be supplied adequately and efficiently. 

 As a commercial proposition agriculture is 

 fortunately placed. With mankind increasing 

 at a rate unheard of in its history there is no 

 cause to fear the demand for food diminishing, 

 and those interested in the production may 

 rest assured that the whole fabric of our 



