Britain Relying On Her Farmers

Chronicle (Levin), 8 July 1948, Page 5

Britain Relying On Her Farmers

LOXDOX, July 7. Britain 's farmers are casting an anxions eye at the weather ior unless it improves soon their good harvest prospects are threatened. Reports from all counties give high ligures for wheat, barlev and oats estimates and the crops at present look as well as they dijd av this time in 1941] wlien there were bumper yields at the harvest.*. But two months' sunshine now is needed aftcr a rainy, cold June and rather dismal opening to .Tulv. Hayinaking has been adversely affeeted and in some distriets the crops are still lying in the swathe or not yet cut. Farmers are also taking a deep interest in the Royal Agriculturai Society 's show at York where it is expected that last year's reeord attendanee at Lincoln will be exceeded. The King, Queen and Princess Margaret are attending on Wednesdav and the King will present long servk-e medals to veteran workers. A feature of the show is nearlv 40 inventions ranging from an electric cattle dehorner to a three-row potato planter which are to be judged for the society 's silver medals. There are 1(5 different breeds of cattle, 20 breeds of sheep and nine porcine breeds on show. Including liorses there are over .'50(h) entries. The importance of farming to Britain was recently emphasised by Mr. Ernest Bevin who declared: ' ' The saf est job a man can get into in Britain for a long time, is agriculture. If you want to give your children a good career, agriculture is the thing to put them in. -It will have the least risk of unemployment for many years to come. The more that is preached the "better. It will have to he, in addition, a highly mechanised industry to pro duce the hest. I heg of you to try to kill once and for all, this idea that a boy or girl should he removed otf the farm." To his audience of farmers and land workers he added: "It is on you we rely to save this country from bankruptcy. ' '