October 21, 19 15] 



NATURE 



219 



land. Whether in consequence of advice or in 

 ite of it, it may fairly be said that farmers through- 

 t the United Kingdom have done their duty. They 

 ve met their difficulties doggedly, and have shown 

 appreciation of the situation which does credit to 

 ir intelligence. It was not easy last autumn when 

 ers had to lay their plans for the agricultural 

 r to forecast the future. We were all optimists 

 n, and many thought that the war might be over 

 fore the crops then being planted were reaped. It 

 as clear, however, that the national interest lay in 

 ntaining and, so far as possible, increasing the 

 uce of the land. In the quiet, determinecJL way 

 hich is characteristic of them, farmers devoted them- 

 Ives to the task, and the returns recently issued give 

 measure of their achievement. They have added 

 per cent, to the acreage of wheat and 7 per cent, 

 the acreage of oats, and they have kept the area of 

 totatoes up to the high and sufficient level of the 

 >revious year. These are the three most important 

 rops. They have also not only maintained the stock 

 >f cattle, which w-as the largest on record, but, in 

 ipite of unfavourable conditions and a bad lambing 

 season, they have increased the stock of sheep. In 

 riew of these facts, I venture to say that British and 

 rish farmers have shown both patriotism and intelli- 

 nce, and may fairly claim to have contributed their 

 re to the national effort. 

 The share of British agriculture in the food supply 

 f the nation is more considerable than is sometimes 

 jalised. When I last had the honour to address the 

 ritish Association I ventured to emphasise this point, 

 id I may be allowed to repeat, in a somewhat 

 ifferent form and for a later period, the figures then 

 iven. Taking those articles of food which are more 

 r less produced at home, the respective proportions 

 ontributed by the United Kingdom, the rest of the 

 Dmpire, and foreign countries were on the average 

 )f the five years 19 10-14 ^^ follows : 



United 



British 



•^'"^^o- o^v= 



Per cent. 

 . 190 



• 57-9 



. 827 

 . 676 



25-1 



195 



95-4 

 36-3 

 91-8 



Per cent. 



39-3 

 10-7 



0-2 



O-I 

 13-3 • 

 65-4 



o-o 

 8-3 

 i-i 



Foreign 

 countries 

 Per cent 

 417 



31-4 

 17- 1 



32-3 

 6i-6 



4-6 



55-4 

 7-1 



of Agriculture, was concerned, was it necessary to 

 have recourse to compulsion. The returns of stocks 

 of food-stuffs, feeding-stuffs, and fertilisers have been 

 made regularly to the Board of Agriculture * every 

 month since the outbreak of war, and the loyal co- 

 operation of the traders concerned deserves cordial 

 recognition by those whose official duty has been 

 rendered comparatively easy by their assistance. 



A very casual glance at the national dietary suffices 

 to show that John Bull is an omnivorous feeder, and 

 as the whole world has eagerly catered for his table 

 his demands are exigent. But, for various reasons, 

 our daily bread, reluctant though most of us would 

 be to be restricted to it, is regarded as the measure 

 and index of our food supplies. On August 4 the 

 Board of Agriculture published an announcement that 

 they estimated the wheat-crop then on the verge of 

 harvest at 7,000,000 quarters, and that, including other 

 stocks in hand, there was at that time sufficient wheat 

 in the country to feed the whole population for four 

 months; and a few days later, having then obtained 

 further information from about 160 of the principal 

 millers, they stated that the supplies in the country 

 were sufficient for five months' consumption. The 

 Board also announced, on August 5, that the potato 

 crop would furnish a full supply for a whole year's 

 consumption without the necessity for any addition 

 from imports. When it was further announced that 

 the Government had taken steps to ensure against a 

 shortage of sugar it began to be generally realised 

 that at any rate the country was not in imminent 

 danger of starvation. Indeed, on a broad survey of 

 the whole situation, it was apparent that our native 

 resources, together with the accumulated stocks of 

 various commodities held in granaries, warehouses, 

 and cold stores, would enable the United Kingdom 

 to face even the unimaginable contingency of a com- 

 plete blockade of all its ports for a considerable period. 



In these circumstances it appeared that, provided 

 adequEite protection were given against unusual risks, 

 commercial enterprise might in the main hp relied 

 upon to supply the demands of the people in the normal 

 manner and in the usual course of business. It is a 

 self-evident axiom that it is better not to interfere 

 in business matters unless there is a paramount 

 necessity for interference. 



The machinery of modern business in a highly 

 organised community is very complicated; the innu- 

 merable cog-wheels are hidden while the machine is 

 running normally, but every single one of these be- 

 comes verv obvious when you attempt to introduce a 

 crowbar. With one or two exceptions the purveyors 

 of food to the nation were left to conduct their busi- 

 ness without official interference, though the Board of 

 Trade took steps to ascertain what were the retail 

 prices justified by the wholesale conditions and to 

 disseminate the information for the protection of con- 

 sumers against unreasonable charges. 



One measure of a drastic and widespread nature 

 was adopted. The exportation of a large number of 

 commodities was prohibited. This was done for two 

 reasons : (i) to conserve stocks in this country, and 

 (2) to prevent goods from reaching the enemy. The 

 latter object could be attained only very partially by 

 this method so long as any sources of supply other than 

 the ports of the United Kingdom were open to the 

 enemy or to adjoining neutral countries. The former 

 object — with which we are now only concerned — was 

 on the whole achieved. The Board of .\griculture, 

 concerned for the maintenance of our flocks and herds, 

 at once secured a general prohibition of the exportation 



" Returns in Scotland and Ireland are made to the Agricultural Pera't- 

 ments of tho«e countries and the results transmitted to the Board of Agri- 

 culture and Fisheries. 



