, 1910-07-23

quickly TO - ase 10 Employ capita i0f Inc
working of a G ven area of cultivated land,
utter the first Few crops hGd been taken from
it, so that agriculture Wonld soon consist
Chiefly III the exploitation of now lond.
Practicul experience and scientific expert
nnent have demonstrated the fact that the
limits of the ability of tho soil to produce
are definitely set by the supply of light, heat,
air and water that is available for it, and for
the plants growing in it. Agricultural re-
search shows it to be increasingly probable
that, until those limits are reached, the
growth of the knowledge gained in the la
boratory and the experiment plot, and the
advance in the skill with which the land is
worked, will tend by themselves to bring the
cost of production on so-called Worn-out
soils down to the level of that on soils Of
greater fertility. Thus the time may be
reached when the gains will be the same,
whether the labour is being employed for
inferior soils or for those which are superior,
and the return from the capital used viii be
as great, near the ultimate point ut which it
ctn be invested usofully, rs It l9 when 1t cOn-
sists virtually of labour alone, applied to
newly cultivated soils.
These considerations have reduced the
question Of the best use of the soil to one of
labour, and the problem for the agriculturist
will be to find the way in which he can en-
ploy most prolitably, both from his own point
Of Wow aud that of the labourer, the sources
hat are at his disposal. This probiem will
include the task Of discovering the means
b. which he may be enabled to have u con-
atant supply Of efficient labour ut his com
man1; it will be readily understood that by
'abour' is not meant field labour, alone, but
all the means for the provision Of such hu-
man energy Us is not employed solely in d
dirpCtiVp md administrative p0DacitV.
The question of the supply of labour is
not, however, merely one of the future, ns
the outcome of the conditions that have just
been described. 1t is q matter of the pres
ont, i'll many regions Of the world, including
parts Of the West Indies. 1t is evident that
Oao of the chief causes that may operate in
the production OF Il shortage of labourors, is
tho creation of conditions, in another coun-
try, such that high wages are offered, in
order to attract the worker, with the result
that he yields to the temptation to make o
test of the apparently better conditio 8
in the new country. He cannot be OK
poctcd to realize that the receipt of high.
ar wages does not necessarily bring
about an increase in comfort and material
prosperity, and he does not recognize, while
still in his native country, the value of the
many ameIiorating circumstances that enter
into his daily life there, the sharing of which
itnot dependent on the possession of money.
Iu making these statements, the value of
omigration to a place whore wages are high
or, which arises from the opportunity to
remit sums of money to those who are left
behind, Is not ignored. 1t is evident, how
ever. that such emigration has o limit of
usefulness in this direction, and that its in
reference with the provision of an adequate
labour-supply may result in making condi-
lions less favourable in the country which
the emigraut has left.
In considering what steps should be taken
IN order that Il constant supply Of adequate
labour may be ensured, where there are
signs that this might become no longer
available, assistance will be gained from u
proper realization of the obvious fact that
the labourer works solely i'll order that he
may provide himself, and those who are
dependent on him, with the means to live,
together with rs many Injuries as he can
Dmmand As time OlSSeS. the evidence of