70(5 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION P. 



Thus, from his eight acres of arahle land aud ten acres of pastiii'e aiid meado^ 

 the English agriculturist of two hundred years ago produced about 64 bushels 

 of wheat and 800 gallons of milk. His successor to-day works on the average 

 about 1364 acres of tillage aud 15'63 of pasture and meadow, and from these 

 he produces not less than 400 bushels of wheat and 4,000 gallons of milk. 



On well-organised, fully capitalised, and well-managed farms such as are 

 commonest in the east of England the productivity of the agriculturist is still 

 higher — probably not less than .50 per cent, higher. 



Taking the average : since the agriculturist of to-day produces four or five 

 times as much from an acre, and works 30 acres instead of 20, he is equal to six 

 or eight of his predecessors of two hundred years ago. At the best : since he pro- 

 duces five or six times as much an acre and works from 40 to 50 acres instead of 

 20, he is equal to over twelve of his predecessors. 



This change has been brought about by improvements, chiefly in agricultural 

 knowledge and methods, in organisation, and iu machinery and transport. 



The above has a bearing upon the following questions, among others : rural 

 migration and depopulation, large and small holdings, agriciUtural education and 

 organisation, 



4. Economic and Statistical Investigation in Agriculture, 

 By W. G. S. Adams, M.A. 



Some developments in agricultural statistics and economics were considered, 

 ilnd a plea made for their study and iuveStigation at the universities of the 

 United Kingdom. 



Wednesday, September 9. 



discussion on Instr'uction in tjniversities as a Prejjaralion Joi' Commerce 



and Business Life. 



SUB-SECJTION OF AGRICULTURE. 

 (JaATfeitAN— Right I-ton. Sir Hob.a.cb PluNkeM, K.G.V.O., P.R.S. 



THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3. 

 The Chairman delivered the following Address:— 



Science and the Problem of Rural Life. 

 The Aim of thd Address. 



Wd have only to glance at the list of papers on our programme and of their 

 authors to realise that our papers need be neither dull nor unimportant. It is 

 ti'ue that our official title, ' Sub-Section " Agriculture " of Section " Economic 

 Science and Statistics," ' is not inspiring. Even practical agriculturists may not 

 see here much more than a place where the talk, if it be a little above our bucolic 

 heads, will at least be concerned mainly with our business. Yet I am sanguine 

 enough to hope that from the growing — if somewhat belated — recognition of our 

 subject there arises the prospect of a notable contribution by the British Associ ation 

 to a neglected side of human progress. 



