THE FUTURE OF ALLOTMENTS. 
381 
THE FUTURE OF ALLOTMENTS. 
By W. H. Morter, F.R.H.S. 
[Read August 14, 191 8 ; Mr. F. J. Chittenden, V.M.H., in the Chair.] 
I have been requested to give you a short paper on the Future Aims 
for Allotment Workers in Industrial Centres. This subject, to me, 
seems such an important one and one full of such possibilities for the 
benefit of the town-dweller, not only for the production of food in the 
future, but also for the physical benefit of the allotment holders, that 
I think a short history of the work done under the Cultivation of 
Lands Order in my own city would be of interest. Up to the end of 
19 16 there were about five thousand allotments in the city — between 
3,000 and 4,000 under the control of the Corporation, and the remainder 
privately owned. At the commencement of the year 1917 the Cultiva- 
tion of Lands Order was issued, and under that Order various plots 
of land — some that had lain derelict for years, and others awaiting 
building development — were immediately taken possession of and 
laid out in plots. It was anticipated that a further 2,000 plots added 
to those already under cultivation would be ample for all requirements, 
but such was the demand that by the end of April (or in four months) 
no fewer than 6,000 new plots, representing 600 acres of land in various 
parts of the city, had been laid out and put under cultivation. 
Although the demand was not yet satisfied, it can be imagined that 
to obtain land for the purpose was getting extremely difficult, for not 
only were the land agents and owners averse to giving up the land, 
but, as most of the grass land in and around the city was let to the 
various wholesale butchers &c. as accommodation land at high rents, 
the problem faced us as to whether it would be just and proper to 
utilize this land for allotments. After consideration, it was decided 
that more food could be produced by cultivation than if left in its 
present condition as accommodation land, and much of this land was 
then taken under the Second Order of February 1917, although at 
the same time due consideration was given to the tenant so that he 
should still have a portion left on which to graze his diminished 
supply of cattle. Sundry farm lands that were not being cultivated 
to their fullest capacity were also taken and divided up. Under this 
scheme a further 6,000. plots, making altogether 12,000 War Allot- 
ments, have been put under cultivation in eighteen months, and yet 
there is still a demand for more and more. When the scheme was first 
put into work the city was divided into thirty districts, and thirty 
experienced men were appointed to take charge of a district each, their 
duties being to plot out the land and let it to suitable applicants and 
also to give instruction in cultivation, as it was obvious there would 
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