1920.] Increasing Basic Slag Supplies. 



245 



magical ; but there is no " magic " in the action of the manure. 

 Tliis depends on the habit and manner of growth of white clover 

 on land that has been depicted of phosphates b\' corn 

 growing, and has then been left to " tumble down " to grass. 



Most agriculturists will agi'ce that, in conjunction with 

 white clover, basic slag is the most potent agent known for 

 restoring fertility to worn-out corn land. If the old corn- 

 growinc lands of England are again to take their place in 

 producing wheat, it seems probable that one feature in the 

 scheme of management to be adopted will be the alternation 

 of corn- growing with a period during which clay soils will 

 rest and regain fertility by growing clover manured with 

 basic slag. 



Effect of Pasture Bmprovsment on Tillage Farming:. — Apart from 

 the uncertainty as to the future cost of labour, the chief 

 obstacle to the expansion of tillage in this countrj^ is the diffi- 

 culty that farmers would experience in devising means for 

 suppU'ing their hve stock, w^ere they to be deprived of any con- 

 siderable proportion of the grass now grown by them. It is well 

 known that, given the necessary skill and the command of 

 capital and labour, food for live stock may be raised in greater 

 quantity from land under the plough than from grass ; but 

 it is certain that in many instances stock could not be kept so 

 cheaply as they now are, were grass land to be broken up ; and 

 it is further certain that the stock farmer would be less free 

 from anxiety if tillage crops replaced his pastures. Any policy 

 which aims at extending the corn fields of England must, 

 therefore, reckon with strong opposition, if the increase of 

 corn means the decrease of grass and hay. But it seems to 

 me that the area under corn could be largely extended without 

 reducing the natural foods of our live stock ; for, given enough 

 basic slag, it would be an easy matter, in my opinion, to restore 

 all the land well adapted for corn growing to tillage, and to 

 grow as much grass and hay as we do at the present time. 



In the early seventies of last century England and \\'ales 

 had about 15,000,000 acres under the plough. Before the 

 \^'ar the area had fallen to 11,250,000 acres. In 1918 it had 

 increased to 12,500,000. Although labour is less plentiful and 

 much more expensive than in the seventies, there should 

 be no difficulty, given remunerative prices, in again reaching 

 the 15,000,000 level, for in the interval the farmer's command 

 of machinery and of manures have both greatly increased. 

 In the immediate future the lack of buildings must prevent 

 any considerable extension of tillage, but a time will come 



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