1922.] Cropping of a Derelict Estate in Sussex. 121 



it was to produce anything like the amount of food that it was 

 capable of doing, the management and work would have to be 

 carried out under their direction. Consequently, in May, 1917, 

 they commenced operations, but under exceptional difficulties. 



Buildings, Implements, etc. — The farm-house and buildings 

 which had previously gone with the land had been s >ld 

 separately, and it was, therefore, necessary for the Committee, 

 whilst erecting temporary galvanised buildings, to hire stabling. 

 The Committee had neither horses, implements nor men, but 

 one of the earliest tractors to be supplied under the Food Pro- 

 duction Department's scheme was sent to Peacehaven. This 

 was of the caterpillar type, unwieldy and powerful, but very 

 effective in tearing through the weed and other growth which 

 had accumulated since the autumn of 1915. Subsequently a 

 set of steam tackle was hired by the Committee and proved very 

 helpful in cultivating the* land after it had been ploughed once, 

 but it was found that, owing to the rubbish which had accumu- 

 lated, this tackle was not very effective for ploughing. 



Labour, Horses, etc.. — In the early summer of 1917 a number 

 of [Metropolitan Police (many of whom had previously been 

 Sussex ploughmen) were drafted into the county, and four of 

 them were selected and sent by the Committee to Peacehaven, 

 whilst in June, 1917, the Food Production Department in- 

 augurated their scheme for supplying horses, and eight were 

 sent in charge of the Metropolitan Police to Peacehaven. 



Fallowing ()pcrations. — During the summer of 1917. lf>4 

 acres of land were thoroughly fallowed, and prepared for wheat, 

 although the summer was not one of the best for fallowing 

 operations owing to the somewhat exceptional rainfall for the 

 district. 



Fertilisers Used. — It was known from the previous history 

 of the farm and the farming, together with the nature of the 

 soil and the surrounding land, that, if satisfactory crops were 

 to be grown, the soil must be supplied with suitable fertilisers. 

 All the land sown with wheat (164 acres) was therefore dressed 

 with 5 cwt. per acre of a good grade basic slag. As the work- 

 was not carried out for an experimental purpose no part was 

 intentionally left without its dressing, but, in one place, where 

 the manure distributor broke and consequently the slag was 

 not applied, the omission could be plainly seen for several 

 months. 



Season 1918.— In the Bpring of 1918 all the wheat was 

 dressed with 1 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia per acre. The 



