386 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the home produce so infinitesimal that in a very short time the in- 
habitants of these islands would be reduced almost to a state of starva- 
tion ; and when we consider that many of these inhabitants would be 
only too pleased to do their share towards this increased production, 
if only security of tenure could be assured, I am sure you will all agree 
with me that we must all do our best to bring about this necessary 
improvement in the provision of land for allotments and the necessary 
security for these workers. 
Waste Land. — We are informed that there are 17,000,000 acres of 
uncultivated land in these islands, but, unfortunately, this land is 
situated in such positions generally as to be of little use to the in- 
habitants of large towns ; but I suggest one has only to spend a few 
hours on the outskirts of any municipality to find still plenty of land 
that could be put to much better uses than at present, and if this could 
be obtained for allotment purposes ; the food supply would be thereby 
considerably increased both for the benefit of the workers themselves 
and also to benefit the country generally. 
The scheme just being put into operation by the Board of Agri- 
culture, viz. the formation of Horticultural Committees for certain 
specified areas to have control under the Board and to be empowered 
to elect District Food Production Committees to work in conjunction 
with them, is in my opinion good ; but there are other points which 
should be considered and added to the scheme. For instance, the 
scheme brings forward the necessity for the establishment of trial 
grounds in various districts where new varieties of vegetables &c. could 
be tested side by side with established and well-known varieties, so 
that the local allotment-holder would be able to tell at once whether 
these new varieties were more suitable to him and for his district 
without wasting at least a season in testing them himself. The 
Parks Committee of the Corporation of Birmingham in conjunction 
with the Royal Horticultural Society have already put this scheme 
in working order, and six trial grounds of from one to five acres in 
extent have been established in the Parks in six different districts of 
the city for the benefit of the allotment-holders to show the results 
on the various soils on which this city stands. I suggest this measure 
should be encouraged by the Royal Horticultural Society in other 
cities, as it is obvious that, however anxious, it is certainly impossible 
for the societies affiliated or that will affiliate, if far distant from the 
Wisley Gardens, to visit them, and I suggest that by encouraging the 
extension of demonstration plantings of this kind the Society will 
be doing good work for the country, and will at the same time still 
further advance its laudable aims. 
I suggest also that Societies should be encouraged by temporary 
loans to purchase their own plots, this giving them a still keener 
interest, and much can be done by co-operation, both in the purchase 
of lands, tools, manures, &c. 
The panel lecturers appointed in the various counties should be 
called upon more frequently, especially during the winter months, 
