THE CATTLE SHOW – AND AFTER.

When the country was running short of food during the worst crisis of the war everyone was interested in agriculture in all its branches, from stock-raising to corn production, and even poultry culture. “Was it not absurd,” it was asked, “that we should be paying away £220,000,000 every year for imported food?” “What reason was there for our having to depend on foreign corn for four out of every five loaves consumed?” Everyone agreed that the Great War had, at any rate, taught us one lesson – we had to do all in our power to encourage agriculture. In spite of all our asseverations, we are spending more on food from overseas than at any previous period in our history, and agriculture is passing through a far worse period of depression than has been known in the memory of anyone. In these circumstances, the holding of the Cattle Show at the Agricultural Hall occurs to remind us that agriculture is still the industry which employs more labour than any other, being far ahead even of mining, which, in its turn, outstrips our large army of officials of various descriptions. These are the three greatest classes among our population, and though we speak frequently of this country as industrial, agriculture still gives employment to upwards of 1,200,000 persons.

The massing in towns of those who follow other occupations tends, however, to dwarf the importance of farming. The day is long past when the problems which agitate rural constituencies had much influence on the fate of Governments; the House of Commons, which less than a century ago was composed mainly of men who were more or less directly associated with “the land” – many cities being without direct representation – is now made up for the most part of members who know a good deal about many things, but least about agriculture and all its complex problems. With such a readjusted balance of power in the Legislature, the King opened the Cattle Show yesterday. His Majesty, like the Prince of Wales, the president of the society, still sets a fine example by breeding stock of the best strains and was rewarded by winning an unusually large number of prizes. It is a fortunate thing for all concerned, the urban dwellers, who want the best food they can obtain, as well as the farmers, that the Royal family, in face of many difficulties, still continues in this, as well as in other respects, to show the way to all sections of the community. Agriculture is not only an essential domestic industry, but it is an export trade. The most superb cattle to be seen anywhere are bred in this country, and specimens are sent all over the world.

As Sir Walter Gilbey reminded the gathering at yesterday’s luncheon, this industry, in all its ramifications, is in a worse condition than ever before. He estimates that as a result of the withdrawal of the subsidy farmers are losing nearly £4 an acre, while hardly a landowner is making any profit out of his rents. On the other hand, the position of the agricultural labourer is deplorable; it wins the sympathy of everyone who realises what it must mean to endeavour to bring up in decency a family – usually a large family, too – on a wage of 30s or less a week, even when allowance has been made for all the amenities which such workers frequently obtain. Neither landowners nor farmers regard with anything but dismay and despair the downward tendency, but they cannot check it. Money cannot be paid out unless it is earned; and agriculture, owing to falling prices, is almost in a bankrupt state.