— IC — Agricultural Production.

The introduction of an approved system of agriculture, based upon the systematic control of environment and crop, has, asultimate object, reduced costs of production, enhanced yields and a larger margin of profit to capital and current expenditure. The costs of agricultural production in any country will be determined by the collective capacity of the cultivators and by the facilities at their disposal. Under the former heading must be included personal experience and knowledge of local agricultural practice, coupled with the degree to which the agriculturist can avail himself of advice based on departmental research and education. His facihties will include the terms on which he' can obtain the use of land, the cost and character of hired labour, the nature of the seed supply, the implements with which he may be able to stock his farm, his draught cattle and livestock and his capital fund or access to credit.

It has been urged that research without education is barren, but education without a corresponding improvement in the instruments of production can only spell both wasted effort and active discontent. To advocate the substitution of the plough for the " seluka " to a man who can obtain neither cash nor credit for the purchase of the implement and animals to draw it, is to convict oneself of futility, and it should be clearly recognised that progress in any direction will be necessarily limited by the provision of capital and facilities for borrowing at reasonable rates. As the borrowing powers of the agricultural community must ultimately depend upon the value of the land and the nature of tenure, these factors will largely determine development and costs of production. Peacock remarks* that " it is claimed on behalf of a Land Settlement that it brings many benefits to a district. Perhaps not the least of these benefits to the Gezira will be the strengthening of credit which must follow registration of titles. The borrowing powers of the people of the Gezira have been affected by uncertainty of title and security, and also by the custom of the mortgagee entering into possession."

Rain and Irrigation Farming.—The current report has no direct bearing on the problems of rain-farming, but the latter systemfEords a very useful basis for comparison with irrigation farming, and a means of determining at least approximately the relative advantages of the two systems. In both cases peasant proprietorship resulting from the Mohammedan law of inheritance has been confirmed by the Government in the pohcy of land settlement, and its maintenance has been ensured by strict limitations on the permanent alienation of agricultural lands. In present circumstances, while population is scarce and the recent manumission of slaves has severely limited the supply of casual labour available for field work, it will not be denied that the small owner working his land with the assistance of his family has an enormous advantage over the large proprietor.

* Of. oil.