ENGLAND’S FARM LANDS.

Shannon News, 6 January 1925, Page 1

ENGLAND’S FARM LANDS.

The farm lands of England are going back to grass. That, at all events, is the indication of recent agricultural returns, which disclose a serious position a s far as crop production is concerned. In England and Wales (according to an English authority) there were 458,000 acres less cereals than in 1922. Wheat, barley, and oats have all declined —wheat by 226,000 acres, barley by 36,000 acres, and oats by 19,000 acres. The other side of the picture is that the area 'under grass is the largest since 1911. The explanation is that it does not pay to grow corn under existing conditions. English farmers, having appealed in vain for consideration at the hands of the State, are taking the line of least resistance and allowing their lands to go out in grass. One is not surprised in these circumstances to note that the number of horses on agricultural holdings has gone down by 59,000. On e satisfactory feature of the return is that the cattle population is now back to prewar level. Cows in milk or in calf are 92,000 more than dn 1922, this year’s total being the highest on record. There are 394,000 more sheep. It Is a striking sequel to the immense losses sustained by potato growers this year that the area under this crop in England this year is 94,000 acres less than in 1922.