If we apply the same method to three grass counties, in which dairy farming is a leading industry, we get the following figures :-

In contrasting these groups of three counties the first point to be noted is that although smaller farms and heavier rainfall must add to the labour required per 100 acres by crops other than grass, it is not possible that the labour requirements on tilled crops in the second group of counties could be so much higher than in the first group as is indicated by these figures. It follows that the labour on the grass area must, in the western counties, be substantially above the average for the whole country. It further follows that the labour employed on grass, in the case of the group of eastern counties, must be lower than the average. How much higher or lower the figure for grass should be could only be estimated if the position in every county in England and Wales were critically examined, and this will not be attempted, but a close approximation to the information wanted may be got by further considering the six counties named.

An examination of the figures got for the land other than grass in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge shows them to be reasonably consistent. The figure for Suffolk is a little higher than that for Norfolk, for two reasons, the first good, the second bad. The good reason is that, on the whole, the soils of Norfolk are lighter and more easily tilled than those of Suffolk. The bad is due to the assumption that the same amount of labour is required per 100 acres of grass in each county. The true figure must be a little higher for Suffolk, where about 45 per cent. of the grass area is cut for hay, than for Norfolk where 40 per cent. is cut for hay. If we were to allow 12 men per 100 acres in Norfolk, and 1.25 per 100 acres in Suffolk, the proportions would be about right, and in this case the labour available for land other than grass would be 6 6 men in Norfolk and 70 men in Suffolk. In Cambridge where the percentage of grass made into hay is about the same as in Norfolk, the labour available for crops other than grass would be the same as in Suffolk.

Turning to the second group of counties, if we were to allow 2.5 men per 100 acres of grass, the labour available for other crops would, in Derby, be 8.3 men per 100 acres, which is about what might be expected in this hilly county; in Somerset 8.8 per 100 acres, or rather more than should be necessary, and in Cheshire 11 4 men where again (in spite of the number of cows kept on arable land, and the large area under potatoes) the figure is somewhat high. If 2.75 men per 100 acres grass were allowed in Somerset and 3 men per 100 acres grass in Cheshire, we should have 7.5 men per 100 acres for crops other than grass in the former county, and 9.8 men per 100 acres in the latter, which is about what might be expected if the circumstances of these counties were compared with those of East Anglia.

We may, therefore, conclude that over the whole country, grass land, and the livestock associated with it, require the labour of 1.66 men per 100 acres, and that ordinary farm crops other than grass, with the associated live stock, require 7.66 men. In the dry eastern counties the figures may fall to 1 and 6.5, and in the west, where dairy farming is important, or in hilly counties with small farms, the figures may rise to 3 0 men per 100 acres grass and to 9 or 10 men per 100 acres of other crops.

It is probable that in one English county only do the figures lie outside the above-mentioned limits. In Lancashire the combination of small farms, dairying and potato growing result in employing a population which probably somewhat exceeds 3 men per 100 acres of grass and 10 men per 100 acres of crops other than grass. In this county the respective figures would seem to be about 3.25 and 11.

We are now in a position to estimate the probable effect on employment of the conversion of grass into tillage. The land broken up from grass would be farmed on different rotations in different districts. In Scotland and the West of England from two-fifths to one-half would grow rotation grass, in the Midlands about one-fourth, and in the East and South of England from one-fourth to one-fifth would be occupied by rotation grass.

In general terms it may be stated that the greater the total area broken up the higher the percentage of rotation grass would be.

For purposes of illustration we may say that if one million acres were added to the tillage area of Britain, it is probable that one-fourth would grow rotation grasses, whereas if three millions were added the proportion of rotation grass would certainly rise to two-fifths.

Like the proportion under grass, the average requirement of labour per 100 acres grass and other crops would also rise with the total area broken up; but for our present purpose we may neglect this point and assume that it would remain fixed at 1.66 men per 100 acres grass and 7.66 men per 100 acres other than grass.

In this case the increase in labour on land converted from grass into four-course tillage would be from 1.66 men to 6.16 men per 100 acres, and the increase on land worked on a five-course rotation (two-fifths grass) would be from 1.66 to 5 26 men per 100 acres. The increase in the labour requirement would therefore be 3.71 times in the first case and 3·17 times in the latter.

Output of energy per man.

For the United Kingdom, as a whole, I have estimated the production of utilisable energy per 100 acres of grass land as being equivalent to the requirements of 12 persons, and per 100 acres of crops "other than grass," as being equivalent to the requirements of 80 persons. These figures do not represent the yield of the land of England and Wales; but they are probably not very far off the true output, and if we relate them to the labour of England and Wales, we find that each man employed on grass land would provide for 7.2 persons, while each man employed on other crops would provide for 10 4. Since the families of the men employed may average between five and six, the exportable surplus from land under crops other than grass must be several times as much as from grass land.

The food grown on grass land can make but a small net contribution to the energy needs of the whole population. Meat and milk having a high money value are exported from grass farms, but other commodities having an almost equal energy value must be imported to sustain the population living on grass land.

Effect of tillage on the size of the rural population.

It should be noted that the foregoing estimates refer exclusively to the effects of tillage on the population employed on farms. There is a further large effect on the size of the rural population. Village craftsmen, such as blacksmiths, wheelwrights, and saddlers, depend mainly for their employment on tillage land; and the entire business and trade of many market towns varies in almost direct proportion to the density of the population in the neighbouring villages and farms.

APPENDIX III.

SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE GROWTH OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.

Cattle Plague Department.-The Agricultural Department of the Privy Council under the title of "Cattle Plague Department" first appeared in the Estimate for the Privy Council for 1868-69. The preceding expenses occasioned by the outbreak of cattle plague in 1865 had been advanced from the Civil Contingency Fund and recovered through the vote for Miscellaneous Repayment.

Veterinary Department.--In 1870-71 the Department assumed the title of Veterinary Department.

Agricultural Department.-On 20th April, 1883, a Committee of Council, for the consideration of all matters relating to agriculture, was appointed by Order in Council, and the Department was styled the "Agricultural Department," and first appeared in the Estimates for 1884-85 when the grant for the collection of agricultural statistics was also transferred from the vote of the Board of Trade.

Tithe Commission.—The Tithe Commission was constituted under the Tithe Act, 1836.

Copyhold Commission.-The Copyhold Commission was constituted under the Copyhold Act, 1841, the Tithe Commissioners being named in the Act for carrying it into execution.

Inclosure Commission.-The Inclosure Commission which was distinct from the other two was constituted under the Inclosure Act, 1845.

The appointment of Commissioners to do all the business of the above three Commissioners under the joint title of Copyhold, Inclosure, and Tithe Commissioners, was authorised under the Inclosure Commissioners Act, 1851.

Land Commissioners.--Under Section 48 of the Settled Land Acts, 1882, the Inclosure Commissioners for England and Wales, the Copyhold Commissioners, and the Tithe Commissioners for England and Wales became the Land Commissioners for England with all the authorities, powers, and duties of the three bodies of Commissioners above mentioned.

Board of Agriculture.-The Board of Agriculture was established in 1889 under the Board of Agriculture Act, 1889, which Act provided that the salaries and expenses of the Department should be paid out of monies provided by Parliament. The powers and duties of the Board, transferred or created by the Act of 1889, were

(a) The powers and duties of the Privy Council under the Destructive Insects Act, 1877, and various Acts relating to the Contagious Diseases of Animals;

(b) The powers and duties of the Land Commissioners for England under the Tithe Rentcharge Acts, Copyhold Acts, Inclosure, Commons and Allotments Acts, Drainage and Improvement of Land Acts, and various other Acts;

(c) The powers and duties vested in the Commissioners of Works under the Survey Act, 1870, from the 1st April, 1890, the date fixed by the Treasury; and

(d) Certain other powers and duties conferred or imposed by the Act of 1889, including the collection and preparation of statistics and the conduct of experiments and research in connection with agriculture and forestry, the inspection and aiding of technical schools, and the regulation of the muzzling of dogs, etc.

Weighing of Cattle.-The duty of determining the sufficiency and suitability of the accommodation provided in Great Britain by Market

Authorities for weighing livestock was transferred to the Board from the Local Government Board and the Secretary for Scotland respectively by the Markets and Fairs (Weighing of Cattle) Act, 1891, and by the same Act a similar duty was imposed by the Board in respect of Auction Marts. The Board (now Ministry) have also to adjudicate all applications for exemption under the Markets and Fairs (Weighing of Cattle) Acts, 1887 and 1891. Under the last-mentioned Act the Ministry receives and publishes statistics as to the number and weight of cattle weighed at certain markets and as to the prices of the cattle sold.

Corn Returns Act, 1882.-Under the Order in Council of the 30th July, 1891, the duty of collecting and publishing the average prices of British corn in England and Wales under the Corn Returns Act, 1882, was transferred from the Board of Trade to the Board of Agriculture.

Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs.--Under the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1893, the Board were required to appoint a Chief Agricultural Analyst, to approve appointments by Local Authorities in Great Britain of District Agricultural Analysts, to make regulations, and to issue certificates in cases of prosecutions.

Merchandise Marks Acts.-Under the Merchandise Marks (Prosecutions) Act, 1894, the powers exercisable by the Board of Trade in respect of prosecutions under the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 and 1891, may be exercised by the Board of Agriculture in cases in Great Britain relating to agricultural or horticultural produce.

Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899.-Under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, the Board were charged with various duties, so far as concerns the interests of British agriculture in Great Britain, as to the supervision and the administration of Local Authorities, the taking of samples and the issue of regulations respecting presumptive standards of food.

Royal Botanic Gardens.-Under an Order in Council of the 21st March, 1903, all the powers and duties which were exercised by the Commissioners of Works in respect of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, were transferred to the Board of Agriculture.

Fisheries.-The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Act, 1903, altered the style of the Board to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and transferred to the Board the powers and duties of the Board of Trade relating to salmon, fresh-water and sea fisheries under certain scheduled Acts and also the powers and duties of the Board of Trade under any local and personal Act which related solely to the industry of fishing.

The power of the Board to undertake prosecutions under the Merchandise Marks Act in certain cases was by the Act of 1903 extended to the produce of any fishing industry as in the case of agricultural or horticultural produce.

The Act of 1903 also extended the powers and duties of the Board under the Act of 1889 in respect of agricultural statistics, education and research so as to apply in relation to the industry of fishing.

Scotland.-Under the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, 1911, the powers and duties of the Board under the various Acts mentioned above were transferred so far as Scotland is concerned to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, with the exception of the Diseases of Animals Acts, the administration of which for the whole of Great Britain remained in the hands of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Up to the outbreak of the war the duties of the Board, although many and various, were mainly confined to police work, the collection and publication of statistics, the issue of a Journal, leaflets and certain publications and the distribution of a limited sum of money in aid of agricultural education (see Appendix IV.).

Food Production Department.-The urgent necessity for increased production of food during the war created a new set of problems and the Food

Production Department was formed in January, 1917, to stimulate and organise the national effort.

County Agricultural Executive Committees responsible in some degree to the Ministry were set up to act as the local agents of the Ministry in giving effect to the Government's agricultural policy, and wide powers under the Defence of the Realm Act were delegated to them to enable them to increase the area of the land under arable cultivation and to deal with cases of bad farming. The Department also took active steps to develop the allotment movement and schemes were set on foot by the Board to encourage the production of sugar beet and of flax which was required for war purposes.

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Act, 1919.-The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Act, 1919, changed the title of the Board to the 'Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and established by statute the system of local organisation which had grown up during the war. Under this Act, County Councils were required to set up Agricultural Committees which were so constituted as to be representative of the various agricultural interests in the country and these Committees and their Sub-Committees were charged (subject to some measure of control by the Ministry) with the administration of the Government's Land Settlement scheme and the Diseases of Animals Acts, etc. County Councils were also empowered under this Act to transfer responsibility for agricultural education (if they so wished) from the Education Committee to the Agricultural Committee (see Appendix IV.).

Councils of Agriculture.-The Act of 1919 also provided for the establishment of Councils of Agriculture for England and Wales and an Agricultural Advisory Committee for the purpose of assisting the Ministry in exercising its powers and duties. The Councils are composed of representatives from the County Agricultural Committees and persons nominated by the Minister representing various agricultural interests.

Land Cultivation.-The work of Agricultural Executive Committees during the war in improving the standard of cultivation was continued by the Cultivation Sub-Committees of the County Agricultural Committees, and under the Agriculture Act, 1920, many of the temporary powers conferred by the Defence of the Realm Acts were confirmed. The part of the Agriculture Act, 1920, conferring these powers was, however, repealed by the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act, 1921, and the activities of the Ministry and County Agricultural Committees in this respect came to an end.

Land Settlement.-The Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, required Councils to establish Committees for the purpose of providing small holdings and allotments in their counties. The Board (as it then was) had power to act in default of County Councils and to repay to the Councils part of the costs of acquisition of the land. Councils were, however, required to charge an economic rent and the Board was only financially concerned to the extent of being liable to repay one half of any loss incurred. In 1919 the Government initiated a special scheme of Land Settlement for ex-service men and, since the rate of interest on loans, the price of land, and the cost of equipment made it impossible to provide holdings at anything like an economic rent, the Government undertook (Land Settlement (Facilities) Act, 1919) to repay the Councils annually until the 31st March, 1926, the whole of the losses incurred by them in providing holdings for ex-service men. In 1926 the land acquired will be valued and the difference between the cost and the value will be written off. The Ministry's financial responsibilities in this matter (explained more fully in Appendix V. on the financial relations between the Ministry and County Councils) necessitate close supervision and control of County Councils' activities, and the administration of the Land Settlement Scheme has bulked large in the Ministry's duties since 1919.