M— AGRICULTURE 



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the war years, shows no significant increase, oats are up by 4 or 5 bushels 

 and potatoes by something like half a ton, but rotation hay has made no 

 advance in spite of a reduced acreage. The results are not spectacular, 

 but the economic difficulties of many farmers, in the later periods, must be 

 kept in mind. Any variations are, however, in the right direction, and 

 striking changes in averages for the whole country could hardly be ex- 

 pected. A general rise in national production is bound to be a slow 

 movement. But there are doubtless considerable numbers of the more 

 progressive farmers who, by availing themselves of the aid offered by the 



scientist, have obtained increases much in excess of any shown in the table. 

 It has to be remembered, too, that even where yields have not increased, 

 costs of production may have been substantially reduced. 



There are some other branches of State intervention which, notwith- 

 standing their importance, it must suffice just to mention : protection 

 of the farmer by means of import tariffs and quotas, designed to raise or 

 maintain the prices of his products ; the Agricultural Holdings Acts, 

 controlling the relationship of landlords and tenants ; land settlement 

 legislation, which enables new holdings to be established on land which, 

 under certain conditions, may be compulsorily acquired for the purpose. 



In the course of an hour's address it is not possible to do more than take 



