the days of my life

第82部分 (第4/7頁)

　climate；　manages　out　of　its　small　extent；　equal　only　to　that　of　Scotland；　to　export　over　twenty　millions　sterling　worth　of　agricultural　produce；　chiefly　to　the　British　Isles；　in　addition　to　the　amount　which　it　keeps　at　home　for　sustenance　in　a　densely　populated　land。

What　Denmark　does　most　undoubtedly　the　United　Kingdom　could　do；　though　perhaps　with　some　variation　in　the　actual　products。　This；　however；　will　not；　I　think；　happen　under　that　aftermath　of　feudalism；　our　present　system　of　hired　farms；　many　of　which　are　larger　than　the　tenant　can　manage；　and；　as　a　consequence；　indifferently　cultivated。　Nor　will　co…operation　on　a　large　scale　arise　under　these　circumstances。　Owners　with　no　landlord　to　run　to　must　co…operate　in　self…protection；　tenants；　and　especially　large　tenants；　do　not　do　so。

I　was　anxious　to　serve　on　the　Development　Board；　in　the　interests　of　Afforestation；　and　also　I　felt　that　it　had　its　roots；　or　at　any　rate　some　of　them；　planted　in　the　soil　of　my　book　“Rural　England。”

Here　I　will　insert　a　note　that　I　made　of　a　conversation　which　took　place　between　Mr。　Lloyd　George　and　myself　in　May　1909；　which　throws　a　good　deal　of　light　upon　this　matter。

SUMMARY　OF　MY　CONVERSATION　WITH　MR。　LLOYD　GEORGE　ON　MAY　11；　1909。

（Made　from　notes　taken　on　the　same　morning。）

On　Friday　the　7th　of　May　I　met　Mr。　Lloyd　George　in　Parliament　Street。　He　said　he　“must　see　me；”　and　after　some　conversation　asked　me　to　breakfast　on　the　following　Tuesday。

I　began　by　putting　the　case　for　the　adoption　of　our　Afforestation　scheme　as　forcibly　as　I　could；　arguing　that　Afforestation　should　be　placed　in　the　hands　of　a　Permanent　Royal　mission。

The　Chancellor’s　answer　amounted　to　this：　That　he　was　most　anxious　to　see　our　Afforestation　plan　go　thr