HELPING THE FOOD SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 13 November 1918, Page 6

HELPING THE FOOD SUPPLIES

SUCCESS AT TORQUAY

NEW ZEALANDERS IN DEVON

(K.'A. War Records Section, Military Publicity Department.)

London, September 11. Yellow autumn has descended over the rolling downs and wooden uplands of Devon, and the land is .yielding up its full share towards Britain's great liarvest of plenty. Tho'New Zealand Bis* charge Depot farms round about Torquay are amongst the foremost in proline results, for those agricultural areas which, with the concurrence of the l'ood Supply Controllers, we undertook to cultivate, have, ill spite of the late start, returned yields beyond expectations. The harvesting operations last week were in full swing, and, where Now Zealanders a few months ago toiled behind the ploughs and tractors, they are now to be. seen working reapers and binders, and stocking the bundle? of corn, or spreading across the fields digging crops of potatoes, and weeding patches of later vegetables. The experiment was a considerable' one, but it has proved a success. Our agricultural activities in Devon extend over 500 acres. This industry is spread over two large areas attached to two of the mansion-like billets our troops occupy in the hill outskirts of Torquay—Daison an.l Hampton Hall— where mostly vegetables are grown; oi'er thirty acres of a golf links near Torquay; and over two farms a few miles in the country—Heathfield and Lustleigh. In .addition, it should be added, about one hundred acres are under hay. Take first the work at the billets, Daison and Hampton Hall. Every foot of the several acres here has been made to grow something or other—chiefly potatoes, cabbages, lettuce, onions, and other vegetables for usb in the camps and for sale. Even among t:lie tents, as the kinematograpli pictures that have been taken will show, there are cabbage and lettuce beds -it serves the dual purpose of keeping men from walking therl, arid utilising the spare ground. Then, at Itanpton, the former occupiers had built a large hothouse vinery, This has been tended and the soil treated, and already grapes to the value of ,£l5O have been sold from it, and as much again is expected to be taken from tho vines before the season is ovgr. Tho Mine excellent .results have been obtained with peaches, apples, cucumbers, and asparagus. At Daison, in one small waste corner of the vegetable garden, vegetable marrows and pumpkins were sown, and one thousand pounds weight have been taken from the plants, and 15001b. more are expected. With very small marrows selling ni sixpcnco'and one shilling each, this patch is a godsend indeed to. the depot. >But' it is by no means our only marrow uatch. '

" Figs, too, fine luscious ones, thrive at Daison. Over thirty acres of kitchen garden cultivation we have at .these two billets, besides which three hundred fowls have been reared, forty rabbits, awl a number of. pigs. Ten ferrets are kept here also for the rabbit catchers oil ono of the farms further out, where bunnies are n pest, and where catching (hem allowed by the owners. Large numbctfs are" caught and shot, and they eom-vfiso a welcomo addition to the ratio.'/.' of the men. • And, in addition to those eaten, about fiftv a week are sold to farmers round, aoout au'd to the people of Torquay. Off the land/ of the tivo billets, Daison and Hampton, we have taken vegetables to the value of .£IOO this year, and- it is expected that 'that amount will be doubled <teforc the season is finished. The total profits at the two places will, it is estimated, exceed .£250. It employs men healthily, arid, most important of all, it provides many with a medium of practical instruction in the latest farming and kitchen garden methods. Soldiers awaiting their discharge, who were once bank clerks, commercial men. lawyers' clerks, shop assistants, and others, * are amongst, the willing workers and learners. How Ihey will apply their knowledge in after years, New 7elaand will discover ■ in due time.

Oil the golf links near Torquay town, already referred to, we have thirty acres of cereals. The golf club supplies the land, seed, anil horse feed, and New Zealand provides the labour and implements, and the profits will be distributed after thrashing. It is estimated that .£2OO will he cleared this year. Heathfietd and Lustleigh. It is, however, at Heathtieid and Lustleigh illi\t the principal farming 'operations ate in progress. In these two places combined there are over ,"flO awes under cultivation. Contact is. maintained with tho two places and the depot by means'of n small Ford delivery van, wliich delivers the rations and letters and brings into the depot the smaller quantities o!' vegetables, and is indeed the genera! utility medium, a function which it supplements with other depot duties ill Tor- 1 quay. The heavier quantities of vegctables are carried 011 depot lorries. The "Director" of farming operations, Captain Jl'Gowan, has also a side-car at his disposal, which is a hfindy means of making: daily "tours of duty" up ami down the narrow lanes which link the farms. .♦ As timo has gone 011 a remarkable development. has taken place at tho farms. During the last two or three months the cultivated areas have grown considerably. At each of- the farms from eighty, to a hundred men are now encamped in marquees. This saves- the necessity- of going backwards and forwards each day to the depot. It is a healthy and' enjoyable life for them—working all ; day 011 the land, well fed, comfortably bedded, out from sunrise to dark in the open air, with all the cares of war behind them and New Zealand ahead as soon as there are the boats—they thrive and are happy. I'or, as already explained, only men unfit for further active service by reason of wounds or,sickness, are sent to this depot. An unfit officer from the depot lives nt each camp and exercises control, and under each thero is a responsible n.c.0., who attends to and directs the farm work. Discipline is not harassing, and tho behaviour is excellent. Only men with good records are sent to tho detached farms. In summer the • meals are served in a marquee under over-spread-ing trees, and back the tent stretch natural green avenues between the trunks, where 011 the mossy ground tho carts, ploughs, and other farm implements are stored. What better life could men desire? And they work cheerfully and solidly, as the splendid condition of Ihe farm and its surroundings testifies.

A fair proportion of the land had ]>ot ' been cultivated for generations. It was ; broken up with tho aid of liorso teams 1 and motor tractors. The horses and 1 harness are borrowed from the Remount Depot. Twenty fine upstanding animals are employed in this work. Wo have in agri-motors a' Fordsom motor plough of two furrows, nnd a Cleveland eaterpil- 1 lar tractor plough (2d horse-power) of 1 threo 'furrows. With horse feed and horse flesh at. their present high this is a most economical way of turning over the soil. In addition there are < all other farm implements, harrows, < sprayers, etc. Unfortunately, the ploughs i and harrows available are all of a light I type, and tho following have been or- i tiered from New Zealand:—Three ploughs, : two sets of disc burrows, two sots of .1 tino harrows, and two P. and D. Duncan ' disc ploughs. Tho linglish ploughs all ' have (lie knife coulter, and the New < Zealanders require tho swivel disc. i Tho methods employed by Captain 1 M'Gowan are sometimes a little uncoil- l ventional in these parts. For instance, i in one portion of rich soil that had i been given'over lo luxurious growths of ' forn he had furrows turned over and potatoes planted in the furrows. 'Ihe > Devonshire "cockies" smiled knowingly 1 and remarked that these • rough and 1 ready methods might succeed in New Zealand but not in old Devon. "Thou'lt . see!" they prophesied. Now, however, as they watch the "diggers" taking up ' potatoes as big as two fists their smile has faded awav and their eyes stare big and roitnd over the broad expanse, I Some Other Aspects. The total area in all tho farms under j potatoes tli is year is 200 acres. There are large areas, in cereal crops, several acres of onions, beets, cauli- •

flowers, turnips, carrots, lettuce, and rhubarb. The yields have all been prolific, notwithstanding the lateness of tlis start this year. When harvest operations are complete it will bo possible to give the average returns per acre. In one interesting spot, the old, untouched Homa.il camp, the virgin, ferncovered soil yielded a grand crop of potatoes, which would have been larger still but for the depredations of park deer. The Torquay depot quartermaster '"is "first cut" at the vegetables, and after his requirements arc shtislied the quartermaster of the other New Zealand camps, hospitals, and depots have their call, at market prices. After that the produce is sold on the open market. It is estimated this year, that after all the initial outlay for material, seed, implements, etc., lias been covered, the results will lie very handsome indeed. The ultimate financial results will Ire given later.

It. has been hard and worrying work for those in charge, but the outcome, they state, has more than repaid them. In addition, there is the satisfactory feature that it has assisted in giving health again to many men, and provided thorn with a medium for practical farming experience and education.