26 THE AGRICULTURAL CLUB. 



Sir T. H. Middleton raised some practical questions in 

 his paper on " Food Production in War and Peace," although 

 in the main he dealt with the economic and political aspects 

 of his subject. The following is a passage of special interest 

 which has since been frequently quoted : 



Let us enquire how many persons 100 acres of land will feed 

 for a year if put under different crops. First, as regards grass. 

 We have in this country grass of varying quality, from the hill 

 pasture producing 2 or 3 Ib. of mutton per annum to the rich 

 grazing pasture on which a bullock may put on 3-4 cwt. of live- 

 weight per acre in the season. If we take very poor lowland 

 pastures worth from 2s. 6d. to 55. per acre for grazing, it will 

 be found that they yield about 20 Ib. of lean meat per annum ; 

 a medium pasture, rented at from 155. to 2os., according to the 

 district, may be expected to produce about 100 Ib. of meat, 

 while a first-rate fattening pasture, rented at from 305. to 405., 

 may produce as much as 200 Ib. per acre per annum. If we 

 take the produce of 100 acres of land of each description and 

 assume that the meat produced is used skilfully in combination 

 with other foods, and if by this method we calculate the total 

 number of persons who could be supported on the produce of 

 100 acres for one year, we get the following figures : 



From the poor pasture .... 2-3 persons. 

 medium pasture .... 14-16 

 rich pasture .... 25-40 



Now how do these figures compare with the produce of tillage 

 land ? Let us assume that we have 100 acres growing an aver- 

 age crop of wheat, that the tailings and damaged grain are used 

 in cattle-feeding, and that the balance of the crop after providing 

 seed amounts to about 29 bush, per acre. The produce of 100 

 acres of this wheat, if milled to 80 per cent., would yield food for 

 230 persons for a year, and if the milling were reduced to about 

 the pre-war standard it would provide food for 200. 



Making similar estimates for average crops of barley and 

 oats, we should find that they provide food for from 160-180 

 persons per 100 acres. 



Potatoes, which, by themselves, would be quite an unsuitable 

 food, but which, in combination with a limited amount of grain 

 and meat, are quite capable of maintaining a population in 

 perfect health, are even more valuable from the standpoint 

 of maintenance of a large population than the cereals. An 

 ordinary 6-ton crop, after allowing 15 cwt. for seed and 10 

 per cent, for waste, should provide enough to feed 400 persons 

 per 100 acres of land. We may next compare with these figures 

 the value, as human food, of such crops as mangolds and meadow 



