EEPORT OF THE APPLE AND PEAR CONFERENCE. 



87 



beyond what you could have seen without the glasses within the 

 confining hedgerows of our British orchards ? 



We must, however, get somewhat nearer the chief points to 

 be considered. We must drop figure and get to facts. We think 

 we may safely start with an aphorism. Cultivation of the land 

 is the basis of all economy. Mother Earth, after all, nurtures 

 the whole family of the human race. " The profit of the earth 

 is for all ; the king himself is served by the field." The political 

 economist and the social scientist can touch no profounder 

 problem than the problem of production, and we cannot escape 

 the consideration of the threefold aspect of the laws of life which 

 all rightly civilised people recognise : — 



1. The population must be properly employed. 



2. The people must be clothed and fed. 



8. As a necessary condition, the land must be cultivated and 

 cropped. 



Now we have already reminded ourselves that we have to take 

 ourselves outside the limit line of streets and alleys, and get into 

 the open country, where we find agriculture and horticulture side 

 by side, sometimes overlapping each other, but always mainly 

 concerned with these four phases of occupation : — 



1. Cattle production, under which I would include the rearing 

 and breeding of all animals for slaughter or other purposes. 



2. Wheat production, under which head I would include all 

 arable farming. 



8. Dairy farming, under which I would include all milk, 

 cheese, and dairy products. 



4. Fruit farming, including the production of vegetables and 

 other market produce of this character. 



The consideration of the question of supply immediately 

 brings before us the question of demand. We ask ourselves — 

 What is demand ? Why is it needful to produce ? An elementary 

 question, truly, but one which has been handled peculiarly by the 

 jugglers of political and other economists. Briefly, produce is 

 needed for the maintenance of life. It was easy for the French 

 wit to say, " Give me the luxuries of life, let who will take its 

 necessities;" but necessities are — necessities! We then ask 

 ourselves, upon what can good health and happy life be best 

 maintained ? 



Well, I fear we should here quickly get into conflict of opinion. 

 Doctors differ. I am justified, however, upon the grounds of 

 science and experience, in asserting that men can live, and live 

 healthfully and happily, on cereals and fruit, so that a wheat farm 

 and a fruit farm would meet all national needs. Cattle farming 

 we are not now concerned about. 



I know I strike a chord which may not be one entirely of 



