xciv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XV, 
to overcome them. It is clear that what we have to do is to 
endeavour to create and maintain suitably sized and suitably 
situated holdings which will admit of adequate development, 
the most progressive farmers who will be in a position to make 
the best use of them. If we can do this we can trust to the 
natural pipe of the soil and the natural industry of the 
armers to secure the progress which we vid aided by the 
scientific investigations which have ng made and which will 
be made in future. But until we can do the we shall not 
secure anything like the full results ‘that we cig for from our 
natural advantages or from our scientific labour 
ow what is it that prevents us from aking action of the 
nature indicated ? Whenever any remedial action of this 
would be / uprg spi _— cps frre and to their sentiments, and 
that a shuffle of an armers would constitute a po- 
litical danger. These aspects of the question must, of course, 
be carefully considered. is is a country where religious 
= Sesdiniental ideals count for much, where political dangers 
given due weight. But there is also a persistent 
ienede on the part of a eucticii of the population for material 
progress. We have come to the parting of the ways, and India 
must decide which road she wishes to take. You may set u 
a sentimental ideal, an aesthetic ideal, an ideal of voluntary 
poverty, or an ideal of political caution. Such ideals are quite 
intelligible. The trouble is that to a large extent they are not 
compatible with the ideal of material progress. All that I say 
is this—if the former ideals are chosen to the exclusion of the 
latter let us stop all talk of rapid material progress: for we 
shall have deliberately refused to take the first steps that lead 
to it. 
The fragmentation of holdings as it affects ee nice 
of agricultural improvements.—By B. C. B 
is claimed that though the as of the un-economic holding 
is caine and progress necessarily must be gradual and follow general 
economic development, there is Sriportaniey for immediate steps to dis- 
courage entation of holdings. Two instances are given of the way 
in which the fragmentation of holdings imposes a definite limit on the 
por es ma Bee! of agricaltn improvements. It is considered that in 
emindari pi ces changes in tenancy law are possible and pop 
which call 24 phi ag the formation of compact holdings reasonably eas 
_ The prevention of soil erosion on tea estates in Southern 
India.— By R. D. AnstEap. 
the Meeting of the Board of Agriculture in India held at hg 
in 1016, the subject of.soil erosion was discussed, and it was resol 
