32 
Economy in Cultivation. 
If we look for any artificial means of increasing prices, such 
as Protection, what hope is there of this coming about before the 
end comes to our own career ? The most sanguine cannot anti- 
cipate such a change without years of political struggle, and 
then it is a question whether farmers generally would be greatly 
benefited, whatever the advantage might be to the country at 
large. 
Is there any hope of producing better crops, and obtaining 
salvation in this line ? I see but little light in this direction. 
Euglish corn crops are already greater than those of any other 
corn-growing country, excepting perhaps little Belgium ; to aim 
at growing very big crops only means increased disaster in a wet 
season ; and though there may be some advantage in attempting 
to reach a higher standard than the present average, there is 
no remedy for low prices here. 
Cost of production seems the only question left worth con- 
sidering. Can this be reduced to any considerable extent ? 
And if so, how ? 
Not by reducing the price of labour. Fann -hands are not over- 
paid now in the corn-growing districts, and the tendency appears 
to be rather in the direction of higher wages and shorter hours 
of labour ; besides, if wages were reduced a couple of shillings 
per week (which I should much regret to see), that would not 
materially affect the cost of production, but, on the other hand, 
would be a national misfortune. Many think that rents must 
fall still lower; this probably will be the case, though landlords 
have suffered cruelly already, and if they are to be utterly im- 
poverished it will be to the great regret of a very large majority 
of all classes, including the tenant-farmers. Small occupations 
are the panacea of those who know nothing of practical, eco- 
nomical farming, in spite of every known experience that large 
businesses of all kinds can be more economically managed, and 
made to produce more cheaply, than small ones. 
In what direction, then, can we look for more economical 
production ? That is the question to which I have given a good 
deal of thought, and with which I propose now to deal very 
briefly. 
The plough has from time immemorial been the chief imple- 
ment of the arable farmer, and probably will continue so until the 
end, ploughing being the principal operation and the most expen- 
sive. No work of any other implement will compare with it in 
efficiency, either in the preparation of a seed bed or as a pre- 
liminary to cleaning ; but it is a very expensive operation, and 
my object is to show that this may be reduced without sacrificing 
efficiency. 
