17 JULY 1947, Page 18

COUNTRY LIFE

THE other evening, at half-past nine, I came upon a particularly large lorry with a particularly cumbrous load. Two men and a most capable young woman labOriously, but efficiently, made to descend by -way of two reinforced planks first a complete tractor, steered by the young woman during its risky descent, and thereafter a two-furrowed plough. As late as ten o'clock on the following day I heard the hurts of the tractor finish- ing the acres that needed the plough. The outfit and labour and willing- ness to work overtime were contributed by the, War Agriculntral Executive Committee, which has its well-equipped centre in the middle of the county. Now attacks on these committees are frequent and free in books as among large farmers. I have found deficiencies in them in my own small dealings ; but I am wholly convinced that they embody as useful an aid to the farmer as authority has ever supplied. They erable the very

smallest and indeed poorest farmer to enjoy the use of the be machinery such as he cannot buy and cannot use on any scale. Thig completely kills the argument that, since mechanisation is a virtual necessity, farms must therefore be big and the farmers rich. The argument is plausible and popular with critics, but entirely false.