1921.] 



Agriculture Behind the Lines. 



HO.") 



Ancre and Somnie, east of the point where the two rivers con- 

 verge at Corbie. The centre of the plateau more or less marked 

 the limit of the great German offensive of 1918. from which 

 they had now been finally forced back. 



This area was completely devastated, and the mined villages 

 scattered all over it offered no inducement to the French 

 inhabitants to return. On the northern side was the broad 

 gauge railway from Amiens to Arras, following the valley of the 

 Ancre, while on the southern side transport facilities were 

 available by barge on the Somme canal. In addition, the area 

 was richly served by trunk and lateral roads, not to mention the 

 military railways which had been utilised for supplies during 

 the year 1917. The French Authorities were willing to allow 

 cultivation to proceed, and under certain decrees passed bv the 

 French Government they were able to secure for the British 

 military authorities what amounted to security of tenure. 



The flat top of the plateau comprising the area to be cultivated 

 was some 1,500 to 3,000 yards wide and sloped away to the 

 rivers lying to the north and south, either precipitately or in a 

 series of terraces, a formation often found in a chalk country. 

 On the higher portions of the plateau, which was about 350 ft. 

 above sea level, the land was a deep light loam, but on the 

 slopes towards the rivers the soil became shallower and chalk 

 was found at a very slight depth below the surface. 



There had been no water on the plateau itself prior to the 

 construction of water points by the Military Authorities, and this 

 no doubt accounts for the fact that all the villages were to be 

 found not on the high ground, but on the river banks, and 

 thus at a much lower elevation. It was doubtless a matter of 

 great difficulty, therefore, for the inhabitants to cart manure 

 from the villages in the valleys, where it was available, to the 

 upper lands. 



It is quite ■ certain that the upper lands were suffering from 

 lack of manure. On the other hand, they were eminently suit- 

 able for the growing of cereals and roots, such as potatoes and 

 forage crops. Winter wheat had been the rule of the district, 

 and there were many acres of excellent lucerne and clover crops 

 which proved of great value for the horses. Moreover, some of 

 the land had been ploughed for potatoes. 



In September the Directorate prepared for renewed operations 

 on a large scale. 



They were at this time still located at Le Touquet, whither they 

 had returned after the German offensive had opened. They 



