THE KING AS FARMER

Evening Star, Issue 23679, 12 September 1940, Page 3

THE KING AS FARMER

FOOD FROM HIS LAND One of the first farmers.to answer the call for more home-produced food when the war broke out was the King. To-day His Majesty’s farms are well on the way to 50 per cent, more production than in peace time (says a writer in the 1 Adelaide Chronicle’), Few people think of King George VI. as a farmer. But he has wholeheartedly embraced the farming tradition that, in its modern form, was introduced to the British Crown by Queen Victoria. Victoria was most interested in her small estate at Osborne, in tho Isle of Wight, and, in a sense, it was from Osborne that tho two larger estates at Sandringham and Windsor have evolved. When Edward VII., as Prince of Wales bought the house and estate at Sandringham from its former owner, Mr Spencer Cowper, and announced his willingness to spend a considerable .sum of money upon it, the Queen sent her own land steward from Osborne to superintend the rebuilding of the holdings and cottages which had been allowed to fall into disrepair. Sandringham took on a thoroughly farm-like character in the early days of King George V.’s reign, and was used as a model for the home farm at Windsor. Formerly Osborne was a fine farm. Queen Victoria farmed it with pride, for she was exceedingly fond of her estate there, and spent a largo sum of money on keeping the farm up to date. It was the same Queen who established tho home farm at Balmoral, an estate acquired as a gift from Prince Albert, and there used to be an excellent little farm at Abergeldie Castle, about one mile west of Balmoral. But Edward VII., when ho succeeded, withdraw most of the labour from the land and converted the castle into a hunting lodge. The King, by the way, could, if iTe wished, sell Balmoral, Abergeldie, and Sandringham, for he holds them in his own right as Ids personal property, unlike, for instance, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, which are the property of the nation. largest royal estate. Balmoral is the largest Royal estate, but its 25,000 acres are mostly wild shooting and fishing. Though it includes a home farm quite large enough to supply the domestic needs of the Royal household, it does not fall into tho same category as Windsor and Sandringham. Sandringham comprises 7,000 acres, 200 acres of which arc parkland. Hitherto a large part of tho two farming estates has been used for grazing, or has been put to no definite use at all. But, following the Government’s offer of a bounty for every acre newly ploughed, land all over the country is being converted from grazing to the production of arable crops, and the Royal acres are no exception, though no subsidy is claimed in respect of them., The King gave orders as soon as war bi’oke out that all possible measures should be taken to increase food production at Windsor and Sandringham, and the plough has been over a large part of the formerly unused _ land on the Royal estates. An additional 140 acres have already been brought under cultivation at the Norfolk farm and at Windsor, and more is to follow. The farm proper at Sandringham, therefore, now comprises something over 1,100 acres. At the same time grazing land has been increased to accommodate augmented herds of cattle. Among farmers it is for their cattle that the Royal farms are most famous. Since the days of George V., who introduced them, Sandringham’s pride has been its purebred Highland cattle, which have won prizes at shows all over the country, and numbers of which have been exported to tho dominions for breeding purposes. quantity not quality. Hitherto, in the management of the Royal farms emphasis has always been laid on purity of strain and the excellence of individual specimens, as was most proper on farms which it was not necessary to run for a cash profit. The maintenance of pedigree strains of cattle is indeed a public service in a country which is still—tlnpugh we have only just remembered it—dependent largely on its agriculture. The “ quality ” tradition of the Royal farms will not be abandoned during the war, but it will be subordinated to consideration of quantity. Sandringham and Windsor, however, have always had aspects which the everyday farmer could enthusiastically appreciate. The Norfolk farm has for years supplied all the Koval households with their supplies of beef, mutton, pork, and bacon. All the milk, butter, and eggs used at Windsor, Balmoral, and Sandringham come from the respective home dairies, and butter and eggs are sent from Sandringham to Buckingham Palace and to the”establishments of a number of Royal friends and relations. Some of the workers on the farm have for years obtained their supplies of meat from the Sandringham herds, and every Christmas, as a deeply-rooted custom rules, the workers are given two tons of "beef. It is almost unnecessary to say that the poor and acred people in the neighbourhood ot the estates often receive parcels of produce that originated in the Royal fields or dairies. WAR BRINGS CHANGE. The war will bring about a change in the atmosphere of the Norfolk and Windsor farms. As x quantity is the important consideration, they will taka on. as far as productive methods are concerned, a more commercial air. Bor instance, meat from the increased herds of cattle is to be sold on the local market, as that is the best method of augmenting the country’s supplies as a whole. Wheat and other cereals are to be sown on the laud newly brought under the plough. Hitherto, only a small amount of grain has been grown, to add to purchased feeding stuffs and to produce straw for stable use. But the cereals reaped next autumn will have been grown for the open market. They comprise barley, oats, and wheat. The production of potatoes and vegetables generally is to be increased. Produce exceeding a wartime minimum for the Royal households will all be sold.

Since the fresh plans were first put under way in September the King lias taken a keen interest in their development, not content merely to give orders but anxious to see how they are carried out. He recently made a thorough inspection of the work in progress_ at Windsor, and was absorbed for a time in the subjet of new crops and expected yields. It was his own idea that both Sandringham and Windsor should produce at least sufficient feeding stuff for their own cattle, sheep, aiid horses, and the plan has boon merged in the fanning schedule for the next 12 months. It is expected, ns the King was aware, that there will be a shortage in feeding stuffs, and it is the aim of the stewards at Sandringham and Windsor to bo at least selfRiiDporting in this respect.