128 



Cropping of a Derelict Estate in Sussex. 



[May, 



combination of the basic slag applied in the previous autumn 

 with the sulphate of ammonia in the spring was most effective, 

 as may be gathered from the fact ihat the 164 acres of " hill " 

 land averaged 44 bus. of wheat to the acre. 



Varieties of Wheat. — The varieties of wheat grown were 

 " Garton's Victor " and " Little Joss," both of which were 

 supplied by the Food Production Department and gave excellent 

 results on this land. It is probable that the " Garton's 

 Victor " yielded slightly better than the " Little Joss," but on 

 the other hand, with a large acreage of wheat, it was considered 

 that ' ' Little Joss ' ' could be sown more safely at a later period 

 in the year than could " Garton's Victor." 



In addition to the wheat, 225 acres were sown with oats. 

 The oats produced an average crop but not comparable with the 

 results obtained from the wheat. 



Harvesting. — The Committee had Exceptional difficulties in 

 dealing with the harvest in 1918, as labour was scarcely obtain- 

 able. Further, there was not even a barn suitable for even 

 temporarily accommodating labour or storing corn. Newhaven, 

 the nearest town, was closed for military reasons, so that for 

 the harvesting operations the Committee had to rely very 

 largely on German prisoners supplied from Lewes — a distance 

 of 6 miles. These had to be sent by lorry in the morning and 

 fetched at night. 



Season 1919. — Although the yield of wheat during the first 

 season was so heavy it was generally thought by farmers in the 

 district that it would not be possible, on this poor land, to 

 grow a remunerative crop during the following season. As, 

 however, this was an attempt to produce the greatest amount 

 of wheat possible, during the following season the greater part 

 of the acreage previously under wheat was again sown with 

 wheat, together with an additional acreage, making in all 

 262 acres. 



The same varieties of wheat were again grown, viz., 

 " Garton's Victor," and " Little Joss," whilst, in addition, 



19 acres were sown with " Yeoman " wheat. 



Fertilisers Used in 1919. — It was not possible to obtain a 

 high-grade basic slag, but only one of a very low quality, viz., 



20 per cent, total phosphates, so that on the average approxi- 

 mately 7 cwt. of this slag were applied per acre to all the 

 wheat land. In the spring of the year the land which had 

 previously been cropped with wheat, was dressed with a mixture 



