108 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOKD. (Vol.38 



production and carry it on to that end, to require occupiers to change 

 their plan of operations regardless of contracts, and to direct the 

 breaking up of grass land for the growth of cultivated crops. It may 

 also take over commons and waste lands, including sporting grounds, 

 tennis courts, bowling greens, etc., and allot these lands to persons 

 who will cultivate them. It practically gives the board control of 

 agricultural land irrespective of its ownership, to be used in its dis- 

 cretion for the benefit of the Empire. Failure to comply with direc- 

 tions as to the cultivation or breaking up of land constitutes a seri- 

 ous offense against the Defense of the Realm Regulations. 



The details of administration of the order are in the hands of the 

 county executive committees, appointed by the war agricultural com- 

 mittees of the county councils, working under direction of the board. 

 These committees have made surveys of both the cultivated and un- 

 cultivated land of their counties, issued directions for its proper 

 utilization, and provided for inspection to insure compliance. 



This measure is so extraordinary and far-reaching, and warrants 

 such interference with established customs that it has naturally been 

 the subject of considerable controversy and called for the exercise of 

 unusual judgment and tact in its execution. In discussing the matter 

 in a letter to the county committees, the president of the Board of 

 Agriculture said : " Compulsion is no less distasteful to the Board of 

 Agriculture than it is to farmers ; yet it may in certain circumstances 

 become a necessity. ... In all cases the exercise of compulsory pow- 

 ers should always be the last resort, but in some it also remains the 

 final resort." 



In June the Prime Minister announced the official program for 

 breaking up three million acres of grass land for the harvest of 1918. 

 This was later reduced somewhat by taking account of the substitu- 

 tion of wheat for other crops. The final amount was prorated among 

 the counties, and the executive committees were instructed to exercise 

 discretion in selecting the poorer quality of grass land for breaking. 

 The voluntary compliance of owners was urged, failing which notices 

 were served which w-ere mandatory. 



Apparently there have been relatively few cases of refusal to com- 

 ply with the new order, but where there have been convictions have 

 followed. No indemnity has been provided farmers against loss from 

 change in their system except the assurance of minimum prices. The 

 reasonableness of the measure seems to have been generally accepted. 

 One of the leading farm journals predicts that the right to interfere 

 in cases of bad farming will hardly be restricted to a war measure, 

 " but will certainly be used with considerable effect after the war is 

 over." 



As a result of the new order, together with the various regulatory 

 and stimulative jneasures, the president of the Board of Agriculture 



