Wheat Prices 



emphasis has been laid upon the important 

 part that wheat must play in the agricultural 

 development advocated. Not only must we 

 grow more wheat from the point of view 

 of defence ; quite apart from that wheat is 

 the basis of arable cultivation. The writer 

 has no wish to raise fiscal questions, but the 

 fact must be stated that unless the price 

 of wheat is maintained at 40^. a quarter, 

 there will be no great increase in the per- 

 centage of wheat, or indeed of arable land. 

 There are farmers who say that they do not 

 want the guarantee of a minimum price, but 

 on close examination it is found that these 

 farmers do not want to grow wheat, so that 

 their opinion does not count for much. The 

 point is that all the holders of land suitable 

 for wheat-growing must grow more wheat. 

 It is useless to hope or expect that the 

 English farmer will increase materially his 

 area under wheat if the price goes below 

 40^. a quarter ; and it is well worth while 

 for the nation to consider carefully whether 

 from every point of view it is not advisable 

 to guarantee to the farmer that price. With 

 wheat at that price a $d. loaf is possible. 



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