“A Farmer’s Year” by reading a paper on the Rural Exodus before the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture on May 6； 1899； which is printed at the end of that volume； and moving the following Resolution that； after discussion； was carried unanimously：
This Chamber respectfully calls the attention of Her Majesty’s Government to the continued and progressive shrinkage of the rural population in the Eastern Counties； and especially of those adult members of it who are described as skilled agricultural labourers。
In view of the grave and obvious national consequences which must result if this exodus continues； the Chamber prays that Her Majesty’s Government will as soon as may be convenient make its causes the subject of Parliamentary inquiry and report with a view to their mitigation or removal。
On May 30th in the same year I moved a similar Resolution before the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture in London where； after criticism and discussion； it was also unanimously carried。
In January 1900 I went with my family to Florence； where we stayed with my sister…inlaw； Mrs。 John Haggard； whose husband was at that time Consul in Noumea； whither he could not take his children。 It was the year of the Boer War； and a melancholy business I found it to spell out the tale of our disasters in the Italian papers。 The Times had asked me if I would care to go to South Africa as one of their war correspondents； but this did not strike me as an attractive business at my age。 However； I entered into another arrangement with Mr。 Arthur Pearson； the owner of the group of papers of which the Daily Express is the principal。 This was that； on the conclusion of the war； I should write a series of articles under the title of “The New South Africa；” which would； of