[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Your excellent article and
quotation from Lord Bledisloe's speech on Agriculture makes me bold enough to trespass upon your time. Nobody who has British Agriculture at heart but agrees with Lord Bledisloe's remarks. I wish, however, he had added some advice to the farmer. In my opinion, the farmer could do much to improve his financial position : first by attending market less often, and, secondly, by stocking his farm more heavily. The large majority of farmers have the habit of attending at least one if not two markets each week. This nearly always means six or eight hours away from the farm, so that for nearly one-sixth of the week the " eye of the master " is away from the farm. Again, most farms would carry many more animals ; this would mean more manure and so more hay and corn ; but, above all, overhead charges are reduced in proportion to turnover. Few people realize the cost of hedging and ditching, not to mention rates, taxes, rent and other incidentals. In addition to the above, I think it is open to doubt if our rotations could not be improved—forage crops grown instead of roots and many more pigs kept, in addition to or instead of some of the sheep. Pigs require more food than sheep, but are much more prolific. They increase the manure heap very rapidly as well as the returns from sales of livestock. These suggestions would not mean more capital, as the money now spent in the market town could be spent on increased feeding-stuffs and stock.—I am, Sir, &c., A MUCH UNDERSTOCKED FARMER.
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