Royal Commission on Agriculture. 509 
tinction have been involved in a general calamity. ' It is 
important that this should be clearly understood, so that undue 
stress may not be laid upon suggestions for legislative changes, 
which, whether expedient or not, have no direct or immediate 
connection with the distress of the present time. 
The two most prominent causes which are assigned for that 
distress are bad seasons and foreign competition, aggravated by 
the increased cost of production and the heavy losses of live- 
stock. 
The extent to which agriculture has been injuriously affected 
by an uprecedented succession of bad seasons, is very clearly 
shown by the abundant evidence to which we have referred in a 
preceding part of this Report. 
Bad Seasons. 
Although farmers must always take their chances of the 
seasons, and accept the consequences as they come, yet in some 
districts and to some extent the worst effects of heavy rainfall 
may be mitigated by the prevention of floods, and an extended 
system of arterial drainage, which would be a national benefit. 
Foreign Competition.* 
Next to a succession of unfavourable seasons, the effect of 
foreign competition is assigned by the majority of witnesses as a 
main cause of the embarrassments of the agricultural community. 
In considering the representations .\hich have been made to 
us as to the effect of foreign competition upon the agricultural 
interest of this country, it is but just to recall the fact that the 
pressure of that competition is now found to be greatly in excess 
of the anticipations of the supporters, and of the apprehensions 
of the opponents of the Repeal of the Corn Laws. 
Whereas formerly the farmer was to some extent compensated 
by a higher price for a smaller yield, he has had in recent years 
to compete with an unusually large supply at greatly reduced 
prices. Evidence to this effect has been already referred to 
under the head of " Foreign Competition." 
On the other hand, he has had the advantage of an extended 
supply of feeding-stuffs — such as Indian corn, linseed and cotton- 
cakes, and of artificial manures imported from abroad. 
Disastrous as the combined effect of bad seasons and foreign 
competition has been, the witnesses who speak in the interest of 
agriculture fully recognise the advantage to the community that 
* Mr. ChaplLn adds a supplementary Memorandum on this subject. 
