RURAL ENGLAND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1756, 22 May 1913, Page 8

RURAL ENGLAND.

UNBEARABLE AFTER N.Z. A Mannwatu farmer who lias just returned from a visit to his native district, iu Dovonshiro, England, after an absence of .18 years, remarked to a Dominion representative 'that lio w.is glad to get back again to the land of his adoption. His reasons for coming to litis conclusion were based upon the fact that rural England, as he know it as a youth, has changed to such an extent that it is unbearable to a man who lias beconic used to colonial progressiveness. In his opinion Devonshire farmers are noi working their land as well as they used to. Thev do not seem to care, and the majority of them never look any distance ahead. The reason he attributes for the existing state of affairs is the active immigration that has taken placo during tho past twenty-five vfars. All tho strong, lusSy youths have bee.n attracted to the different colonics, and therefore the business of fanning has been left mainly to >the older men, or to those of the- younger generation who have insufficient enterprise. lie considers that tho colonial could teach his Devonshire grandfather a great many wrinkies in the successful working of land and stock, but ho is also finite sure that if many of the young fellows who leave England to better their fortunes abroad were to put the samo enterprise into their work at Home as tliey aro forced to adopt out here, tho chances for success are better at Homo than in the colonies. Iu other parts of England, particularly in the north, tho returned visitor noticed that farming methods wero more in keeping with advanced knowledge and requirements.