Board of Agriculture. 201 



table matter in various stages of decay. It is this whicli gives 

 the great value to virgiij forest soils and to newly -enclosed 

 pasture lands. 



6. But if, and when, this vegetable matter dejclines to a low 

 level, which it, of com-se, soon does unless supplied in some way, 

 then all the difficulties of agriculture begin. The plant is in- 

 volved in them .because its roots cannot, as a rule, readily 

 penetrate soU which is not kept open by humus ; the agriculturist, 

 because he has to spend more money in cultivation and manure, 

 and even then obtains results far inferior to those which can be 

 obtained from a soil well suppHed with humus, if the land is 

 aided by a slight degree of cultivation and a very small expendi- 

 ture in manure. Then when the land is deficient in humus, as 

 nearly all our cultivated lands are, the risks from defective 

 seasons increase, there is less food for stock, and plants are more 

 liable to disease and to suffer from the attacks of insects. 



7. "With the gi-eat evil of defective soil conditions which under- 

 lies our agricultural difficulties the chemist cannot grapple, nor 

 can aU the education and expeiiments on which the Board spends 

 from £7,000 to £8,000 a year. 



8-. On the OUfton-on-Bowment farm I have grappled ■with our 

 agricultural difficulties as to system (though improvements are yet 

 to be made before it can be brought to perfection), but, so far as 

 the public is concerned, I have only grappled with them on paper. 



9. Prom the numerous mistakes liable to be made in working 

 the system, and in matters which, though to the uninitiated 

 apparently triiling, largely influence results, I feel sure that 

 much disappointment and loss must ensue unless those desirous of 

 adopting my system have opportunities of studying it in the field 

 in all its details, and are practically shown the importance of 

 carefully attending to them. 



10. For the general adoption of the system three things are 

 absolutely necessary — (1) That farmers should be able to study 

 the details of my system on a farm conducted as mine has been, 

 on a system that is within reach of any ordinary farmer ; (2) that 

 he should have the financial results clearly proved to him ; and 

 (3) that seedsmen should be compelled by Act of Parliament to 

 guarantee the purity, trueness, and germinating power of the 

 seeds they sell. 



