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urch and State；” which I posed in defence of the Established Church of Wales that was then； as now； threatened with disendowment。 This was undertaken at the request of the late Edward Benson； Archbishop of Canterbury； who wrote to me at some length in August 1894； giving me the various points on which he thought stress should be laid。
The pamphlet was written in due course and approved of by the Archbishop； who wrote to me in November of the same year：
I must give you my cordial thanks — in the name of all interested — and they are Legion — for your admirable and telling paper。 It is presumptuous in me to use epithets。 。 。 。 We are all very grateful to you。
I never spoke to Archbishop Benson； although I often saw him at the Athenaeum。 Indeed one night we dined next to each other at separate tables and alone。 I remember that I was tempted to address him； for he did not know me by face； but； remembering that busy men seldom like to be troubled at their rest by strangers； I refrained。 So the opportunity went by； for which I am sorry； as I should have liked to make the personal acquaintance of this good and very earnest prelate。
I have always thought that he was most happy in the manner of his death； which took place suddenly while he was at prayer。 Such would be the end that I should choose； if choice lay within our power。
Another task that I undertook in the intervals of my Royal mission was an agricultural investigation which resulted in my book “Rural Denmark；” whereof a new edition is just about to appear。 What I saw in that country was to me little less than a revelation； but I need not dwell on it in these pages。 Here I found the answer to the problem which had puzzled me for so many years — namely； how agriculture could be made to pay in a Free Trade country with an indifferent climate。 That answer undoubtedly is： By means of medium or small holdings； for the most part owned and not rented； aided by universal co…operation； which will only flourish in the absence of too many large farmers； and by a system akin to that which is known as credit…banks。 Thus supported； the soil of Denmark； which is on the whole poorer than our own and afflicted with an even worse 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 through on whatever scale could be arranged。 He told me that this was very largely； if not chiefly； because I had personally succeeded in interesting him much in the matter when we met and stayed together at Carrow Abbey last year。 The advocates of Afforestation were； he considered； very fortunate in having to deal with him； since he was sure that no Chancellor who went before him； and none who were in the least likely to follow after him； would listen to them for a moment。 As it was he had but one earnest supporter in this matter in the Cabi — Winston Churchill。
I suggested John Burns also； inasmuch as the Labour party were all in favour of an Afforestation scheme。
He replied： No； at heart Burns was not in favour of it； and for the reason that the Labour party were。 He added that J。 B。 was “thoroughly wrong” with the Labour party。
In Parliament； Mr。 Lloyd George continued； this party was the only one from which he received any support as to Afforestation。 Although they had seemed to be in favour of it a few months ago； and even keen for it； the rest of the Liberal party now appeared to care nothing for it； while the Unionists of course were hostile on principle； also because they feared it would interfere with sport。
All these considerations made the matter difficult for him。 Also there was another。 In the Parliamentary war over the Budget the money necessary might easily be cut off。
I then passed on to the question of a permanent Royal mission。
He said he did not see how it could be managed for Afforestation alone； but that it might be for the purposes of the administration of the Development Grant as a whole。 Personally he was entirely adverse to the passing over of that Grant into the power of any official Department。
I replied that one permanent Royal mission to deal with the whole Development Grant y ideas； provided that Afforestation was adequately represented thereon。
I asked how many he would have on the mission。 He replied that he feared that it must be a large one； as he supposed it would be necessary to put on representatives of the various Public Offices。
A discussion then ensued as to who would be the best Chairman for the Development Board or mission。 We talked over various names that seemed to fulfil the qualif