CHAPTER IX. 



THE ORGANISATION OF PRODUCTION. 



LAND is perhaps the most difficult raw material in the 

 world. An ordinary individual, however well edu- 

 cated, needs more than his own resources can furnish 

 in order to make the most of his land. He needs capital, he 

 needs machinery, and he needs to be in closest touch with 

 the manufacturing processes which prepare his products for 

 the consumer. Above all, he needs a market, for which 

 purpose ready means of transit and transport must be at 

 his disposal. The smaller the holding, the more necessary 

 is co-operation for the holder ; the larger the farm, the 

 greater the possibilities which the organisation of production 

 affords. 



§1. Co-operation. 



The farmers of England are supposed to be particularly 

 reluctant to co-operate. This is attributed partly to their 

 innate individualism and partly to the hostility of the local 

 tradesmen, to whom they often owe money and who 

 naturally look askance at anything which would tend to 

 undermine the middleman's position. The largest farmers, 

 who should be their natural leaders, do not feci the need of 

 co-operation so keenly and are apt to hang back when any 

 movement in that direction is afoot. 



Whatever may be the cause, co-operation in agriculture 

 is of quite recent growth in this country ; although during 

 the last few years it has made a marked advance, it is still 

 far less extensive than is the case in most of the countries 

 of the continent of Europe. 



