THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE 



Vol. XXIX. No. 7. 



OCTOBER. 1922. 



NOTES FOR THE MONTH. 



Speaking at the Town Hall, Cowbridge, on 19th September, 

 Sir Arthur Boscawen, Minister of Agriculture, said that agri- 



culture was going through a very serious 

 Sir Artnur ^^^.^^^ temporary prosperity of the 



Boscawen and the ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ immediately fol- 



Q.f lowing the armistice had disappeared and 



Situation. industry was suffering from one of 



those periods of acute depression which the history of British 

 agriculture show^ed occurred from time to time. All industries 

 were depressed to-day, but he thought agriculture was probably 

 the most depressed of all industries. The present year had 

 been particularly disastrous, the cold wet summer and the 

 difficulty of harvesting the crops had greatly added to the 

 difficulties of the farmer who had to contend with a further 

 fall of prices, especially in respect of corn and potatoes. The 

 fall in the latter was chiefly due to the collapse of the German 

 exchange, which resulted in the Germans being unable to buy 

 Dutch potatoes, as was the usual practice, and the Dutch 

 potatoes were, therefore, dumped here. In addition, there was 

 a large supply of home-grown early potatoes which was put on 

 the market at the same time. 



With regard to corn he had heard of very low prices being 

 given for English wheat, and he was afraid that there was a 

 great tendency among farmers to rush their wheat, much of 

 which was in bad condition owing to the weather, on to the 

 market. He quite understood that farmers were hard up and 

 wanted ready money, but if they could only hold off for a time 

 they would prevent prices being driven dow^n to a disastrous 

 level. When things went wrong in any industry now, it was 

 customary to look to the Government for help. Farmers were 

 no exception to this rule. As a matter of fact, Governments 

 could do little to help trade and Government interference often 



(45087). F.l./r; .:5. 10,500. 10/22. M. .'t S. A 



