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e is one of the defenders of his native land； one of the heroes upon whose courage and endurance depends the safety of the British realm。
Some fine day at the other end of the world some prancing pro…consul finds it necessary to smash one of the man…slaying machines that loom ominous on his borders； or some savage potentate makes an incursion into territory of a British colony； or some fierce outburst of Mahommedan fanaticism raises up a Mahdi in mid…Africa。 In a moment Tommy Atkins is marched off to the troop…ship； and swept across the seas； heart…sick and sea…sick； and miserable exceedingly； to tight the Queen's enemies in foreign parts。 When he arrives there he is bundled ashore； brigaded with other troops； marched to the front through the blistering glare of a tropical sun over poisonous marshes in which his comrades sicken and die； until at last he is drawn up in square to receive the charge of tens of thousands of ferocious savages。 Far away from all who love him or care for him； foot…sore and travel weary； having eaten perhaps but a piece of dry bread in the last twenty…four hours； he must stand up and kill or be killed。 Often he falls beneath the thrust of an assegai or the slashing broadsword of the charging enemy。 Then； after the fight is over his comrades turn up the sod where he lies； bundle his poor bones into the shallow pit； and leave him without even a cross to mark his solitary grave。 Perhaps he is fortunate and escapes。 Yet Tommy goes uncomplainingly through all these hardships and privations； does not think himself a martyr； takes no fine airs about what he has done and suffered； and shrinks uncomplainingly into our Shelters and our Factories； only asking as a benediction from heaven that someone will give him an honest job of work to do。 That is the fate of Tommy Atkins。 If in our churches and chapels as much as one single individual were to bear and dare； for the benefit of his kind and the salvation of men； what a hundred thousand Tommy Atkins' bear uncomplainingly； taking it all as if it were in the day's work； for their rations and their shilling a day （with stoppages）； think you we should not transform the whole face of the world？ Yea； verily。 We find but very little of such devotion； no； not in Israel。
I look forward to making great use of these Army Reserve men。 There are engineers amongst them； there are artillery men and infantry； there are cavalry men； who know what a horse needs to keep him in good health； and men of the transport department； for whom I shall find work enough to do in the transference of the multitudinous waste of London from our town Depots to the outlying Farm。 This； however； is a digression； by the way。
After having got the Farm into some kind of ship…shape； we should select from the City Colonies all those who were likely to be successful as our first settlers。 These would consist of men who had been working so many weeks or days in the Labour Factory； or had been under observation for a reasonable time at the Shelters or in the Slums； and who had given evidence of their willingness to work； their amenity to discipline； and their ambition to improve themselves。 On arrival at the Farm they would be installed in a barracks； and at once told off to work。 In winter time there would be draining； and road…making； and fencing； and many other forms of industry which could go on when the days are short and the nights are long。 In Spring； Summertime and Autumn； some would be employed on the land； chiefly in spade husbandry； upon what is called the system of 〃intensive〃 agriculture； such as prevails in the suburbs of Paris； where the market gardeners literally create the soil； and which yields much greater results than when you merely scratch the surface with a plough。
Our Farm； I hope； would be as productive as a great market garden。 There would be a Superintendent on the Colony； who would be a practical gardener； familiar with the best methods of small agriculture； and everything that science and experience shows to be needful for the profitable treatment of the land。 Then there would be various other forms of industry continually in progress； so that employment could be furnished； adapted to the capacity and skill of every Colonist。 Where farm buildings are wanted； the Colonists must erect them themselves。 If they want glass houses； they must put them up。 Everything on the Estate must be the production of the Colonists。 Take； for instance； the building of cottages。 After the first detachment has settled down into its quarters and brought the fields somewhat into cultivation； there will arise a demand for houses。 These houses must be built； and the bricks made； by the Colonists themselves。 All the carpentering and the joinery will be done on the premises； and by this means a sustained demand for work will be created。 Then there would be furniture； clothing； and a great many other wants； the supply of the whole of which would create labour which the Colonists must perform。
For a long time to come the Salvation Army will be able to consume all the vegetables and crops which the Colonies will produce。 That is one advantage of being connected with so great and growing a concern； the right hand will help the left； and we shall be able to do many things which those who devote themselves exclusively to colonisation would find it impossible to accomplish。 We have seen the large quantities of provisions which are required to supply the Food Depots in their present dimensions； and with the coming extensions the consumption will be enormously augmented。 On this Farm I propose to carry on every description of 〃little agriculture。〃
I have not yet referred to the female side of our operations； but have reserved them for another chapter。 It is necessary； however； to bring them in here in order to explain that employment will be created for women as well as men。 Fruit farming affords a great opening for female labour； and it will indeed be a change as from Tophet to the Garden of Eden when the poor lost girls on the streets of London exchange the pavements of Piccadilly for the strawberry Beds of Essex or Kent。
Not only will vegetables and fruit of every description be raised； but I think that a great deal might be done in the smaller adjuncts of the Farm。
It is quite certain that amongst the mass of people with whom we have to deal there will be a residual remnant of persons to some extent mentally infirm or physically incapacitated from engaging in the harder toils。 For these people it is necessary to find work； and I think there would be a good field for their benumbed energies in looking after rabbits； feeding poultry； minding bees； and； in short doing all those little odd jobs about a place which must be attended to； but which will not repay the labour of able…bodied men。
One advantage of the cosmopolitan nature of the Army is that we have Officers in almost every country in the world。 When this Scheme is well on the way every Salvation Officer in every I and will have it imposed upon him as one of the duties of his calling to keep his eyes open for every useful notion and every conceivable contrivance for increasing the yield of the soil and utilising the employment of waste labour。 By this means I hope that there will not be an idea in the world which will not be made available for our Scheme。 If an Officer in Sweden can give us practical hints as to how they manage food kitchens for the people； or an Officer in the South of France can explain how the peasants are able to rear eggs and poultry not only for their own use； but so as to be able to export them by the million to England； if a Sergeant in Belgium understands how it is that the rabbit farmers there can feed and fatten and supply our market with millions of rabbits we shall have him over； tap his brains； and set him to work to benefit our people。
By the establishment of this Farm Colony we should create a great school of technical agricultural education。 It would be a Working Men's Agricultural University； training people for the life which they would have to lead in the new countries they will go forth to colonise and possess。
Every man who goes to our Farm Colony does so； not to acquire his fortune； but to obtain a knowledge of an occupation and that mastery of his tools which will enable him to play his part in the battle of life。 He will be provided with a cheap uniform； which we shall find no difficulty in rigging up from the old clothes of London； and it will go hardly with us； and we shall have worse luck than the ordinary market gardener； if we do not succeed in making sufficient profit to pay all the expenses of the concern； and leave something over for the maintenance of the hopelessly incompetent； and those who； to put it roughly； are not worth their keep。
Every person in the Farm Colony will be taught the elementary lesson of obedience； and will be instructed in the needful arts of husbandry； or some other method of earning his bread。 The Agricultural Section will learn the lesson of the seasons and of the best kind of seeds and plants。 Those belonging to this Section will learn how to hedge and ditch； how to make roads and build bridges； and generally to subdue the eart