2io Large and Small Holdings 



But, as Mr Rew's report showed 1 , chicken-farming "depends not on 

 local advantages, but on organisation and skill," and could therefore 

 be developed in any district. 



The English agriculturist need thus be under no apprehension 

 that the consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy-produce, etc. will 

 increase less rapidly than the production ; he need fear no over- 

 production in this sphere. At present consumption is expanding 

 much more rapidly than is the home production. But the reason 

 is not that England lies under some technical difficulty or dis- 

 ability in the supply of such produce. On the contrary, it is just as 

 possible to increase the production of these articles in England as 

 it is in the competing countries of Denmark, France, Belgium, etc. 

 That these and other countries have at present to some extent driven 

 the English agriculturist out of his home market is simply due to the 

 better organisation which the foreigner brings to the production and 

 distribution of his goods. England needs to adopt these co-operative 

 methods of organisation with all possible speed. It is to be hoped 

 that the efforts of the Agricultural Organisation Society in this 

 direction may meet with the success they deserve. 



Nevertheless, in spite of all that English agriculturists have left 

 undone in their work of turning the new market conditions to their 

 own advantage, English agriculture has admittedly experienced a 

 great revival of late years. The growing demand df the mass of the 

 population for meat, fruit, vegetables, butter, cheese, milk, eggs, etc. 

 secures its future in so far as it succeeds in adopting the best methods 

 available, and in giving up unprofitable branches in favour of those now 

 profitable. A condition of success equal in importance to that of the 

 introduction of co-operation is, however, the maintenance of Free Trade. 

 It is Free Trade which, by cheapening bread and meat, has raised the 

 purchasing power of wages, and so increased the consuming power 

 of the mass of the population, to the benefit of the agriculturist. But 

 assuming that the economic development of England continues on 

 the lines of the last quarter of a century, while agriculturists seize the 

 advantages which they have by their own fault hitherto failed to 

 seize, what will be in the future the problem of the unit of holding ? 



The future will be similar to the past. Small holdings will 

 once again play the chief part. Where corn-growing, pedigree stock- 



1 As summarised by Mr Channing, op. cit. p. 37. Cp. also the Estate Book, 1909, 

 p. 254, under Chicken Rearing in Sttssex : " Why is this industry practically confined to 

 this district ? There is not the least reason why it should be, as equally favourable conditions 

 could no doubt be found elsewhere." 



