M.— AGRICULTURE. 218 



and the Economics of Agriculture, and (3) the History of Agriculture in 

 Great Britain and Ireland and Comparative Agriculture, this last signifying 

 a study of current conditions in the more important agricultural areas of 

 the world. A study such as this seems to me to form the foundation of 

 such a curriculum as I have in mind, and to represent more nearly than 

 anything else a non-vocational agricultural education. This study will 

 demand from the student some knowledge of physical science in order that 

 he may understand the technical, that is, the manufacturing, process, for 

 it is impossible to understand even in the most general way the relations 

 of soil and plant, plant and animal without some scientific training, and 

 this student of mine must be able to have an intelligent opinion about 

 present practices and future developments. It is not, however, on the 

 side of physical science that most of his work will lie. The chief develop- 

 ment, as I see it, will consist in a wider and deeper study of economic 

 science so that finally his knowledge of agriculture will include not only 

 the history of the industry in this country, but in the world as a whole, 

 and will be a study of economic history and economic geography of the 

 first importance. An interesting new departure has been made by the 

 University of Bristol in introducing the study of Agricultural Economics 

 as an optional subject for the Final Honours Degree in Economics. This 

 is all a move in what I consider the right direction, but for my part I would 

 go still farther and make a study of the economics of British Agriculture 

 not optional, but compulsory, for those taking a degree of this kind. 



Such a course as I have tried to indicate would then run side by side 

 with the ordinary vocational and professional course, and would, I hope, 

 in time be taken by a large number of persons who had no intention of 

 engaging in practical agriculture, but who would form a nucleus of informed 

 opinion that could not fail to produce an effect upon the fortunes of the 

 industry and upon the whole of rural life. Thus, even more perhaps than 

 by creating a class of farming landlords who would play to-day the part 

 played by their predecessors of the eighteenth century, would it be possible 

 to recreate the countryside, to build up a new rural order, under the 

 enlightened leadership of those who have studied fully and carefully the 

 problems of country life and the problems of country industry as they 

 have varied throughout the centuries. 



I have ventured to put before you what I believe to be the great 

 needs of the agricultural community — greater light in its own ranks and 

 a public better informed of the needs of the industry and of its own 

 requirements in the matter of essential supplies. It may be urged that 

 much of what I have said is unreal and bears little relation to facts as they 

 are, and, above all, offers no immediate help to the farming community 

 in its present need. This last I admit is true. Others with more practical 

 experience are attempting that almost daily. Some indeed would soothe 

 the sufferings of agriculture with drugs which can afford but a temporary 

 relief and, without removing the trouble, lull the sufferer into a false 

 sense of security. I have tried to go beyond this, and in so doing have 

 come to the conclusion that what is most fundamentally vital to the 

 industry and to the whole body corporate is a new attitude of mind 

 towards education and a true realisation of the value of cultural studies 

 as distinct from vocational training, the worth of which all would, I trust, 



