4 



had dropped down to little more than one-third, and that In spite 

 of an increase in population of eight millions. As stated .abov^, this 

 decliae has continued, the worst feature of all being that compared 

 to 1861 it is estimated that there are about one million less men 

 employed on the land at present than at that time in England and 

 Wales alone. The number of agricultural labourers in 1861 was 

 2,100,000, whereas the number now stands at about 1,311,000, the 

 decline having taken place in every county except Anglesea and 

 Flint. In 1907 a^ compared to 1906 there were 89,423 acres less 

 under cultivation for wheat, barley, and oats, the total average 

 being 6,460,437, th,e lowest on record. There was a decrease also 

 in regard to potatpes,, turnips, carrots, hops, and timber, but an 

 increase as to cabbages, onions, and fruit. Land laid down to 

 grass increased by 33,150 acres, making the total under this^easd 

 17,277,884 acres, being the largest figUre ever reached. 



Under this head alone, we have a crushing indictment against, 

 private ownership of land, and the strongest possible argument in 

 favour of State action. The landed aristocracy have failed miser- 

 ably, and stand condemned in the eyes of the people, no matter from 

 what standpoint we view the question. In order that the reader 

 may have some idea as to the justification for the latter sentence,, 

 allow me to quote a passage from Prince Kropotkin's excellent book 

 " Fields, Factories, and Workshops." Under the head of the' 

 possibilities of. Agriculture, he points out that (1) if the soil of the 

 United Kingdom were cultivated only as it was thirty-five years 

 ago, 24,000,000 people, instead of 17,000,000, could live on home- 

 grown food; and that culture, while giving occupation to an 

 additional 750,000 men, would give nearly 3,000,000 wealthy home 

 customers to British manufactures. (2) If the cultivatible area of 

 the United Kingdom were cultivated as the soil is cultivated on 

 the average in Belgium, the United Kingdom would have food for 

 at least 37,000,000 inhabitants, and it might export agricultural 

 produce without ceasing to manufacture, so as freely to supply all 

 the needs of a wealthy population, and finally (3) if the population 

 of this country came to be doubled, all that would be required for 

 producing the food for 80,000,000 inhabitants, would be to cultivate 

 the soil as it is cultivated in the best farms of I<ombardy and in 

 Flanders. 



The cause of this downward movement is self-evident. It is 

 the desertion, the abandonment of the land. Each crop requiring 

 humam labour haS' had its area reduced, and agricultural labourers 

 have been sent away to reinforce the ranks of the unemployed in 

 our cities and towns, so that far from being over populated, the 

 fields of Britain are starved of human labour. As James Laird 

 used to say, " The British nation does not work on her soil, she is 

 prevented from doing so, and the would-be economists complain 

 that the soil will not nourish its inhabitants," 



