Oxford and "Land"

The British Ministry of Agriculture invited Oxford University to help farmers cultivate the soil, The response was immediate. Oxford will set up a Research Institute in Agricultural Engineering.

In 1921 the Government created an Advisory Committee, consisting of prominent farmers and makers of farm machinery, to consider the use of more up-to-date implements. The Committee advised the Ministry of Agriculture to "assume direct responsibility." Now the job is given to Oxford.

Aside from some criticism based on suspicion of academic institutions, the Government's move is approved by the Oxford-Tory tradition. The foundation of Toryism was "the land." When "trade" relegated "land" to an inferior position, Toryism lost hold. If Oxford can help to bring back the relative value of land, it will be a boon to Toryism as well as to individual farmers.