THE ZOOLOGY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



81 



Synopsis of Nottinghamshire Invertebrata. 



V. THE AGRICULTURE OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



BY 



H. G. ROBINSON, M.Sc, 



PRINCIPAL OF THE MIDLAND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



The Agriculture of Counties in the past has been determined very largely 

 by a great many local features which together have exercised such an 

 influence as to enable distinctions to be drawn between one district and 

 another. In this sense it has been possible to forecast the peculiar 

 features if one knew something of soils and climate, or if it was known 

 that the surrounding district was associated with industrial activities or 

 otherwise. These distinctions are not quite so marked as they were at 

 one time. The convenience of transport by rivers or railways has for 

 example been affected by the vast development of road transport, and it 

 is probably not so widely recognised as it should be that road transport 

 is altering the face of counties even so far as the practice of agriculture 

 is concerned. The knowledge of other systems of farming that tends to 

 become more widely known as a result of education and reading is also 

 promoting a greater measure of uniformity in good farming practice, 

 especially when intelligent men are anxious to promote their own well- 

 being by the practice of economic systems of agriculture. This does not 

 mean that no local problems remain. There never can be any complete 

 solution of farming problems because of the diversity of soils and climates, 

 and the varying qualities in livestock and crops as well as of the farming 

 community itself. There is no certain road to success because each case 

 has to be considered on its merits and there is a wide field for the display 

 of originality, common sense and energy in tackling the variety of work 

 with which the agriculturist has to contend. 



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