THE BRITISH HARVEST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3179, 1 September 1917, Page 6

THE BRITISH HARVEST

A bribe report on British harvest prospects which was published yesterday conveyed the bad news that the crops .have been seriously damaged by stormy weather, and that while* the harvest promised to be a record one a. few weeks . the position is now entirely altered. The exact extent of the damage has-yet to be disclosed, but the news points at all events to an unfortunate setback in tho enterprising development of agriculture which has made remarkable strides in Britain since the end of last year, and which promises by this time next year to make her independent of outside supplies, so far as essential foodstuffs arc concerned. A fortnight ago Mr. Lloyd George stated in dealing with the food situation that reserve stocks of cereals had been largely increased as compared with last year, and that the area under cultivation had been increased by a million acres. Ho added that given a good harvest tho condition of the country's food supplies. taking everything into account, was very satisfactory.. Th.o damage to thi-n-ops which is now reported will ' affect the position unfavourably.

mid may compel Britain to practise s seven; economics before tho harvest ol 1918 is gathered. The gravity ol the outlook is modified, however, by the fact that losses of shipping by mine Jind submarine attack 'we upon the whole substantially dcciin-jd since the early months tt the year. Another relieving factor is bli;;r, hntain will probably be able in case of need to import considerable supplies from tho United States fir.tl Canada, during the winter. i.lio United States harvest, witho.it taking account of the "war-garden crop, is expected to yield a billion bushels more of food-crops tiian were raised last year. Though Britain lias suffered a check so far as this year's harvest is concerned the is making splendid progress in developing her native agriculture. According to the revised estimates of the Board of Agriculture, about two and a quarter million additional acres of grass land will be broksn up and put into cultivation, in England and Wales, for tho harvest of 1918. The Food Production Department, it is stated, takes an optimistic view about the supply of labour, horses, machinery, and fertilisers to cultivate- this great additional area of arable land. In Ireland, also, agricultural production is being very largely increased. So far as Ireland is concerned, a scheme camo into operation at the beginning of this.,year under which the rated occupier of every holding containing ten acres or more _of arable land was required to cultivate one-' tenth of the arable portion in addition to whatever amount of tillage he had done in 1916, with the proviso, however, that no one was required to till more than 50 per cent, of the arable part of his holding. It is necessary to explain that under the terminology in vogue in Ireland "arable land'' includes grass land which is capable of being tilled. The scheme was put into operation on January 23 of this year, and an official progress report states that >in less than three months some- 600,000 acre's of grass land was ploughed up and either planted with potatoes or drilled with corn. "This marvellous result in so" short a. time, an English commentator remarks, "was due to united and'national effort under tho wise guidance and h&lp of the Department of Agriculture in Ireland. For once political parties and all religions seemed to' agree that the scheme was both necessary and sound." As a whole the expansion of British and Irish agriculture already effected is so great that unless' the standing crops have suffered extraordinary damage the yield of this year's harvest should bo very much greater than in previous years. At worst the position is infinitely better than in the Central Empires, where, it is reported on credible authority. _ >i good harvest is out ot the question. Both in Germany and m the Dual Monarchy labour has been and is scarcer than last year, the want ol fertilisers has been severely felt, and seed has-been in short supply, and ot inferior quality. Britain, in spite of set-backs like that now reported, is in a fair way to solve the food problem. Her enemies are in a, very different position.