Country Life
TIM NEW FARMER.
It is, I think, of good omen for British husbandry that young men—in some places groups of young men—of good education are beginning to take up land. They are attracted by its exceeding cheapness and the considerable profit that is promised—on paper. Paper estimates, of course, are dan- gerous and very fallible. How many people have argued, for example, that if a score of hens give a profit of 7s. 6d. a head, there is therefore a fair living in a hundred score. Yet the paper figures give at least an indication that the profit is there, if the formula can be discovered. With regard to the arable farm in a corn-growing district, it is not easy to find the fallacy in the paper figures ; and these young men mean to test them out, though their capital is as small as their energy is great. What they and those under whom they have been educated say, is this : Grain can be produced on decent cornland at 25s. a quarter—perhaps less. The quota will guarantee for a while a return of 45s. a quarter. If an acre can produce an average of even four quarters, farming should be a very profitable profession. I gave some similar figures the other day, but had little idea at the time of the sort or number of farmers who were taking up the challenge. We have had plenty of " gentleman farmers " in the past, perhaps too many, and nearly all have lost money. The new young farmer is of altogether a different type ; and is often attracted to the profession by his interest in machinery. The engineer-
farmer is the successful farmer.
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