46 A NEW AGRICULTURAL POLICY 



Richmond, the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Lecon- 

 field, and one family which may become historic, 

 but which is at present classed as parvenu — Earl 

 Cowdray. I made this tour, it must be remem- 

 bered, at a time when our valuable, recreative 

 city parks were turned into kitchen gardens, 

 and when the Food Production Department had 

 informed us that we were seriously behindhand 

 with our plough programme, and that " wherever 

 there is willingness to raise more food a plot 

 shall be found if undeveloped land exists." 



" I believe," said Mr. Prothero (now Lord 

 Ernie), on 9th February 19 18, "that the War 

 will be terminated by the test of endurance, and 

 that the country which commands the last sack 

 of wheat is going to win. Those who oppose 

 the ploughing up of grass land have not a leg 

 to stand on. Every additional sack of corn, 

 every ton of potatoes grown in this country, 

 brings us a step nearer victory." 



Well, I wanted to see what these great land- 

 owners were doing on that part of their vast 

 estates which is not let to tenant-farmers, but 

 is under their own direct supervision. I made 

 straight for Chichester, the seat of Government 

 for West Sussex, where I was fortunate to 

 meet the Sussex farmers sitting at their Agri- 

 cultural Executive Committee. I should like to 

 say that no body of men could have treated me 

 with greater courtesy or frankness than these 

 gentlemen, some of whom farmed thousands of 



