12 
LAND & WATER 
Harvest and Tillage 
By Sir Herbert Matthews 
November 8, 191 7 
THE great ewnt of the ycai— the ingathering of the 
harvest— is now practically an accomplished tact 
though a few sad and weather-weary wrecks ot what 
once were crops of corn ma^• still be found in the rainy 
west ■ though many thousands of acres of potatoes are stiU 
in the ground, and la'rge areas of mangolds have yet to be pitteci. 
Continued wet weather will add to the labour and cost ot sav- 
ing these roots, but thev are not likely now to depreciate 
seriously, even if delaved for a week or two. W e can therefore 
briefly review the position, though it is not yet possible to give 
any exact figures. . ,, -j i.t,„4. 
in tlicir report for August the Board of Agriculture said that 
the month everywhere was wet and windy, but most severe m 
the south and south-west. Corn was generally lodged, and 
cutting by machinery much restricted. Continued wet pre- 
vented cuttii;g until corn was over- ripe, and a good deal ot 
" shedding " occurred. From most parts sprouting ot grain 
was reported. " None of the corn crops are up to the average 
but barley is generally the best and oats the poorest. 1 ros- 
pects are' worst in the Eastern Counties." 
In their report for September the Board said ' September 
was upon the whole favourable to agriculture in the eastern 
half of the country ; on the western side the weather was more 
unsettled, and harvest operations were delayed accordingly. 
Over the greater part of England the corn was secured, 
generally by the second or third week of the month, in satis- 
factory condition ; but in the west a certain quantity still 
remained to be carted, and some in Wales had still to be cut, 
while much was harvested in damp condition." 
A three hundred milejournev in mid-October through 
some of the chief corn-growing districts, and various inquiries 
as to threshing results, bear out the correctness of the Board s 
earlier reports, and we have to realise that in spite of an in- 
creased area under cereals the ultimate result must be a 
decrease in the quantity for sale. The quality, too, is below 
the average. Barley, though the best crop of the year 
has been badlv " weathered." while numerous reports of 
threshing oats show that, whereas in a normal season a bushel 
of oats would weigh 40 pounds, this year they Nvill only 
average 30 to 32 pounds. From the producer's point 
of view this means a smaller cash return together with a 
lieavier cost in labour than he anticipated ; while it involves 
a need on the consumers' side for greater economy in the use of 
all kinds of cereal foods. The one crop that has turned up 
trumps is the potato. In nearly every county these are more 
than an average crop, which together with the increased acre- 
age gives us something to fall back on. The fear of disease, 
that at one period threatened disaster, has proved to some 
extent unfounded, for though it assumed serious dimensions 
in some counties it did not become general, thanks largely to 
th" spraying which was done in many counties last July. 
Turnips, swedes and mangolds are all good, the last especially 
so, and it is lucky for us that these roots are good, for the 
damaged condition of a large proportion of our hay and straw, 
and the very serious shortage of concentrated cattle foods 
vill make it" difficult to keep flocks and herds through the 
winter, and impossible to turn out any quantity of fat meat of 
the usual quality before next midsummer. 
Tile reduction in output is riot confined to the United 
Kingdom, for owing to the withdrawal of labour from the land 
in nearly all wheat-producing countries there is a world short- 
age of wheat, rye and barley, though oats, maize and rice 
show a small increase over the average. There is also a con- 
tinual, if spasmodic wastage, through submarine action ; and 
there is such a shortage of shipping that the surplus wheat in 
Australia cannot be brought here because of the long route 
involved. If the war were to end suddenly and at once it 
would not relieve the situation much, if at all ; for such an 
immediate demand for grain will occur from Germany and its 
satellites, while the present demand from all other European 
countries will continue, that the present position might even be 
aggravated. Moreover it is doubtful if any appreciable 
inciease in ship room would be available for carrying food 
for a considerable period after the cessation of hostilities. 
Under these circumstances waste of any kind, even if it be only 
an ounce of bread, whether by the military authorities or bj' 
civilians, is a crime against one's fellow-countrymen, and 
deserves the heaviest possible punishment. 
Such being the case it is of paramount importance that the 
production of all the staple foods should be raised to the 
highest possible 'level in 1918, and though the experiences of 
the farmer in 1917 are not calculated to encourage liim, it is 
up to him to put forth all his energies to help the country to 
weather the storm. Farmers have to prove their worth during 
the agricultural campaign of 1918, and if they fail the country 
will have none of them hereafter. It is a case of " get on or 
get out," notwithstanding the discouragement of 1917. They 
must give the country a largely increased food production at all 
costs, even though it means new methods, breaking of pre- 
cedents, or the jarring of old prejudices. It may ev'en mean 
in cases io^s of money, but within reason the question ot 
whether certain operations mean profit or loss must not be 
carried to extremes. Our young men are e.xpected to ofter 
themselves for their country, to face death, or to be broken 
in bodj' or health for the remainder of their lives. Those who 
are not willing to take the risk are looked upon with contempt. 
Is the man who stays at horne, in comfort and security, 
because he happens to be over a certain tige, to take no risks ? 
Is he to count on a profit for his work, and claim to be a patriot 
for taking the profit ? To risk losses may not be good busi- 
ness, but war itself is not good business. 
The Farmer's .Profits 
Undoubtedly the farmer's profits in 1917 are much less 
than they might have been, for he experienced a year of most 
trying climatic conditigns ; he had unprecedented labour 
difficulties, and he has been harassed by unwise rules and 
orders, together with threats of dire penalties, from the 
Ministry of Food ; and by conflicting advice and instructions 
from this and other Government Departments. This discord 
of authority has probably been a greater handicap than all the 
rest put together. It is the handicap which could be removed 
more easily than any other, but while the theory of Govern- 
ment is merely to create new departments, and to increase 
not the power, "but the numerical strength of the Front Bench, 
the conflict in and between Departments tends to become 
more, rather than less, acute. 
The Board of Agriculture has done its best ; but like tlw 
farmer it has been hampered by other Departments, and the 
energy of its President has been wasted by politicians instead 
of being concentrated on the work of production. In spite 
of this, however. Mr. Prothero has earned the gratitude of the 
countrv. His speech at Darlington should be a clarion 
call to" producers. He knows their difficulties, and does not 
ask for impossibilities. He is always ready to advise, and 
the help his Board can give would be greater if he had not to 
limit his demands to fit in with other Departments 
Preparations for the harvest of 1918 are in full swing. 
Climatic conditions are not favourable, though better than this 
tune last year. The late harvest has delayed autumn culti- 
vation, just when it is needed more than usual, for the wet 
summer has left the stubbles very foul and full of weeds. 
The motor tractors supplied through the Board of .'\griculture 
have been a great help, for farmers arc? in many cases short of 
horses as well as men, and these tractors are not only plough-, 
ing and cultivating the land, but they are breaking down 
prejudice. In a recent article the Mark Lane Express says : 
The demand for tractors to-day not merely exceeds the sup- 
ply, but promises to exceed the supplv e'ven when the full 
complement ordered by the Food Production i:)epartment for 
the winter-spring programme is available. As a whole the 
farming commimitv mav be said to have been completely con. 
verted by recent experience to belief in the value of the tractor 
The Board of Agriculture recently issued a report* on 
" Breaking up pasture in England and Wales in the harvest 
year of 1916-17," which contains some unanswerable argu- 
ments, deserving the widest publicity. Thus : ' 
That the existing arable land may be made to yield more food 
is admitted, and that in many cases it will yield more is ex- 
pected ; but in view of the urgent necessity of adding to the 
food supply of the countri^ a policy which neglected the fer- 
tility stored up in our grass lands would clearly be indefensible. 
We cannot rely on the chance that a favourable season and 
concentration 'of available resources on existing tillage land 
may enable the farmer to produce more food in 1918 than, 
with all the resources of peace he produced before the war. 
Again, although it is admitted that modifications in the 
rotation will enable much more corn to be produced on exist- 
ing arable land than formerly, we cannot assume that the war 
will end in 1918 ; or that our land can retain its condition if we 
largely reduce the area under clover ; or that we can maintain 
a full milk supply, support through the winter months our 
valuable flocks and herds, prepare the manure on which 
"successful tillage depends, and keep our soils free from weeds 
if we largely reduce the area under roots. 
This report states ■ that the Department asked a large number 
of farmers for, their experience in tweaking up grass land in 
1916-17 ; out of 300 replies received from 55 counties, up to 
*This report can be obtained gnitis from the Boavd of Agriculture' 
3, St. lames's Square, S.WM. 
