30 EXPLOITATION OF PLANTS 
addition of large amounts of manures in the form of 
chalk, basic slag or crushed bones and kainit with 
nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, according to 
the crop. These preliminary operations, representing 
charges of about £5 an acre, were more than met by the 
returns from the crops produced, that is to say, the 
value of the produce not only paid for its cultivation, 
but was sufficient to meet the higher rental correspond- 
ing to the larger capital expenditure. For details of the 
experiment, see P. Anderson Graham’s Reclaiming the 
Waste, chap. ii-vi. 
Though Dr. Edwards’s reclamation has been limited 
to a comparatively small area (150-160 acres), there is 
no inherent reason why similar methods should not be 
pursued on a much larger scale, both here and on 
other sterile sandy heaths. 
Whilst the arable cultivation of Breckland and other 
sandy heaths would thus appear to be remunerative 
propositions, there is another way in which this class 
of ground can be utilised. Breckland produces pines 
and so do the Bagshot sands and other areas of the kind. 
Mr. Farrow, indeed, holds the view that Breckland was 
formerly forest land, and that its primary economic use 
is to be once more afforested. 
Any scheme of national security must include not 
only the home production of food stuffs, and especially 
cereals, but also of timber. As I understand Mr. 
Farrow’s- view, sandy heaths like Breckland should 
only be ploughed up.in the event of the minimum 
requirements of forestry being satisfied by rough ground 
which cannot be cultivated in any other way. If the 
safety-line in cereals can be reached by ploughing up 
