686 



Agriculture Behind the Lines. 



[Not, 



these Companies was 5 officers and 180 other ranks, divisible 

 into three Sections, each of which had sufficient personnel to 

 deal with 20 tractors. Thus each block of 5,000 acres was 

 ultimately intended to be cultivated by means of one Agricul- 

 tural Company, and one Section of the Auxiliary (Petrol), 

 Company, with 20 tractors. 



The position as regards the Petrol Companies was rather 

 more hopeful, in that a large number of the personnel was 

 supplied from unfit men in England, one complete company 

 arriving by the 26th February. Practically all the personnel, 

 however, had to be trained in a specially created school for 

 tractor driving, but by the 8th March no fewer than 80 men 

 were passed through the school with their training completed. 



It is unnecessary at this point to present in greater detail 

 the organisation designed for administering this large area. 

 Suffice to say, however, that work went steadily forward from 

 the 2nd February up to the 21st March. 



On the first-mentioned date 6 acres were ploughed and on 

 the last-mentioned date 203 acres were ploughed. The record 

 acreage for one day was on the 17th March, when 300 acres 

 were ploughed. By the 21st March, the ploughing of just 

 under 5,000 acres had been completed. 



The area selected was a suitable one in every way. It was 

 advantageously situated. It was well traversed by roads and 

 intersected by railways, one of which was the main line of 

 supply to the British Army on that section of front. The soil 

 varied in character from a light easy-working loam to a stiff 

 clay. There was, however, a chalk subsoil and experience showe'l 

 that the greater part of the land would work easily and well and 

 excellent crops were looked for. Most of the land had, however, 

 been out of cultivation for three years. Except at isolated points 

 there were not many shell holes, but trenches and their protec- 

 tive belts of wire ran in all directions and were the first task 

 for the Agricultural Companies. 



Of the 45,000 acres which comprised the whole, it was pro- 

 posed to set aside 12,000 acres for potatoes, of which there had 

 been frequent shortages at certain periods in the past. If this 

 acreage had been achieved it would have gone far to meet the 

 total needs of the British Expeditionary Force. The remainder 

 of the area was to be planted with oats, although it was realised 

 that the resultant crops would have but little elTect in reducing 

 the tonnage which would be involved in keeping the British Army 

 supphed in this respect, and it was for this reason that the more 

 bulky crops, such as potatoes, were decided upon. 



