J 2 Development on a 1,500-Acre Farm. [Apr., 



Even if a plentiful supply of labour had been available it would 

 still have been impossible for the original occupiers of the estate 

 to grow the bulky crops for which the land is most suitable. 

 Apart from the main road from Littleport to Mildenhall, which 

 touches the estate on one side, there was no made road of any 

 description ; and, although the railway station was not far from 

 any of the farms as the crow flies, yet to reach it a journey of 

 from four to five miles over fen " droves " was necessary. 



Only those who have seen a fen drove in winter can realise 

 the significance of this assertion. It is, however, sufficient to 

 remark that such droves rapidly become quite impassable if any- 

 thing in the nature of heavy traffic is attempted. 



Obviously, then, all carting had to be done in the autumn or 

 during spells of frosty weather; and therefore it was out of the 

 question to contemplate growing large acreages of potatoes and 

 vegetables. 



As regards the shortage of farm buildings, it is hardly neces- 

 sary to remind practical men of the impossibility of farming 

 arable land without a proper equipment of these. Successful 

 arable farming implies the use of dung; and to have ample sup- 

 lilies of dung buildings are essential. In the case of the Shippea 

 Hill estate the buildings were quite inadequate for the acreage 

 they had to serve and, moreover, were of a very poor description, 

 being as often as not mere ramshackle wooden sheds. 



It will be easily seen from the foregoing that for the develop- 

 ment and improvement of such an estate a large amount of 

 capital was needed. Moreover, even if one of the farms had by 

 chance come into the possession of an enterprising and wealthy 

 man he would have been unable to develop the land without the 

 co-operation of neighbours, i The only possible solution of the 

 problem was the purchase of the whole estate by some person 

 who was able and willing to spend the large sum of money neces- 

 sary for its development. 



Development of the Estate. — In 1909 Messrs. Chivers pur- 

 chased 900 acres of land lying in the centre of the estate. This 

 portion included land which now forms part of Eailway 

 Lodge Farm, Adventurer's Farm, Lea Farm and Albion 

 Farm. In order to ease the transport problem it was proposed 

 to obtain communication with the main road by making up 

 Farthing Drove and by running a siding from the rail- 

 way line at a point opposite Railway Lodge Farm. These plans 

 turned out to be impracticable. The work of making up Farthing 

 Drove was begun, but it soon became apparent that the task 



