380 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION M. 



than the judicious use of manures on grass land, and that the meat and milk 

 producing capacity of the country can be largely and rapidly increased, with 

 great pecuniary gain to the farmer, and still greater economic advantage to the 

 nation. 



The following Papers were then rea>cl : — 



I.. The Past Neglect and Future Improvement of Live-Stock in British 

 Husbandry- By K. J. J. Mackenzie, M.A. 



No serious well-wisher to the future of home farming should fail to note 

 that, while the pedigree breeders of Great Britain supply the rest of the world 

 with live-stock of transcendent quality, the husbandman of the home country 

 has often to be satisfied with animals that are as bad as any the civilised world 

 can produce. 



The cause of this is not far to seek. Pedigree live-stock, wanted for food 

 or cloth-production by the overseas exporter, had to be specimens of their kind 

 supremely useful as begetters of animals capable of thriving upon luicultivated 

 soil. Animals demanding assistance from the cultivators of land were not 

 required by those whose object was to secure all possible gain from vast areas 

 of land without more effort than is required in turning out animals to fend for 

 themselves. The circumstances overseas were better adapted for this class of 

 land robbery than those found in our own country, and it came about that 

 better prices could be obtained for breeding stock suitable for the overseas 

 market than for those fulfilling the requirements of such cultivation as was 

 going on at home. Consequently these latter were neglected by the breeder 

 seeking adequate remuneration for his enterprise. 



If it be determined that there is to be a change in the national progranune, 

 and that our husbandmen are to be encouraged to work for greater production 

 and not be left to obtain such profit as any unintensive system of farming may 

 yield, consideration of their requirements as regards live-stock must be given 

 precedence over those of the customer coming from overseas — Education, 

 Research, and Co-operation must be harnessed to serve the interests of the 

 farmer, who requires suitable animals to further his efforts whilst working in 

 close proximity to onr great industrial areas, so that he may win from the land 

 of the United Kingdom food which will be at hand in any hour of need. 



2. The Value of Lupins in the Cultivation of Poor Light Land. 

 By A. W. Oldershaw, M.B.E., B.Sc."^ 



Lupins grow with remarkable luxuriance on very light land, poor in lime. 

 At the present time, owing to economic conditions, there is grave danger that 

 considerable areas of this type of land will go out of cultivation. It would 

 appear that an extended growth of lupins offers one of the simplest methods of 

 rendering economically possible the cultivation of this land, and possibly of 

 reclaiming what is already derelict. 



Owing to their deep-rooting habit, and their powers of assimilating the free 

 nitrogen of the air, lupins greatly enrich the soil, and whether ploughed in 

 green, folded with sheep, or harvested for seed, leave a considerable quantity 

 of residue upon the ground, which is of great value to the succeeding crop. 

 Very heavy crops of rye are being grown this year after lupins, on land actually 

 adjoining the heath. 



When folding, care must be taken not to nllow the sheep to eat too much 

 or they v.'ill suffer from paralysis owing to lupin poisoning. Suffolk flockmasters 

 fold their sheep on lupins with confidence, and do not regard the risk as serioufi. 

 Sheep take some time to get accustomed to the bitter flavour of lupins, but 

 thrive remarkably well once they have become used to them. They cannot live 

 satisfactorily on lupins alone, but must have access to other food. 



1 Sec. Journ. Board of Agriculture, Dec, 1919; also Modern Farminq, 

 Dec., 1919. ■' 



