Evening journal., 1916-08-05
britain plans
TO feed HERSELF
Campaign Under Way TO
Increase Output of
Farm Products
AFRICAN LABOR
MAY BE UTILIZED

LONDON. Aug. S. One of the ef-
fects of the war will be seen in a
great revival Of agricultural life in
England and the United Kingdom
The outbreak Of the conflict caught
the British Isles dependent on foreign
1Dmmerce for fouF-hfths Of their food
vupply. barring meat Of which be-
tween so and 40 per cent is produced
AZ home
The motto Of few years ago,
~Back to the land thus has given
way 20 the slogan England must feed
herself" Lord Selborne, the leader
of the crusade. declares that the at
tainment OF this object is the coun-
trys sacred duty. and he emphasizes
the point that the farmer can do as
much FOR the country as the soldier
IN the trenches
Plans Laid out.
Plans for the great reform include
n number Of important measures that
are 10 be put into effect at the earliest
possible moment They include the
following.
The repopulation Of the rural
districts and afforestation. The War
Office has Just consented 20 the eX-
change Of many of the older men,
who in the earlier days OF the war
left farm work for the firing line, for
men between nineteen and thirty TO
take their places at the front.
The setting aside Of thousands
Of acres for the settlement on the CO.
operative plan Of Englands soldiers
and sailors after the war This eN-
pediency Is provided for by the small
holding colonies act now half way
through Parliament The scheme viii
provide for model villages, better
housing. with a garden TO every cot
tage. reading romos. Libraries and
good schools Conceived by Lord Sell
borne. the idea has aroused so much
enthusiasm that wide demand has
been made for increasing the land TO
be devoted 20 IL by almost as much
again as is specified in the bin.
8 The importation of natives from
4 South Africa for agricultural labor
during the remainder Of the war
though so many objections have been
raised to this that there is little likli-
hood Of its being adopted
To Bring Soldiers 10 Farms.
II is believed that the plan for
bringing back soldiers from tho front
will have the effect Of providing SUI.
fcient farm labor practically imme
diately.
The tendency TO regard more seri
ously The countrys capacity 10
growing larger crops Is illustrated b.
the figures Of the wheat. barley AM
cats crops in England and Wales
Wheat and oats were grown In larger
quantities. though the barley CROP
we're much smaller There were O..
gSq 939 acres devoted TO the three ce
reals in England and Wales in 1915
an Increase Of 2iS,044 acres as com
pared with 1914 The greatest I'm
crease in acreage was devoted tC
wheat or 21701790 acres in all, the
figure representing an increase o
36c 672 acres 30 per cent? greater
than in 1914. and 25 per oenl. greater
than during any Of the years hetweer
1905 and 1915 Every country re
turned increased areas. the total fol
Wales Of II % acres t3i per cent.
being the greatest
Speaking OF the movement, LorI
Selborne said recently
Il have made my riea for the cult
vation Of the soil on the grounds o
patriotism The farmers and lahorer
-ame forward first to meet the emer
gency. and then the girls and wome
from the villages and even cities. som
OF the best type OF women. includin
many Of Independent means. answer
ing my call out Of pure unadultef
ated patriotism.
Women's Aid Vital,
because Of the splendid manner
which the women have risen 70 th
occasion i'm this respect a. Tim
whom farm work Is Of vital import
ance 10 the nation. we feel justified
the behalf that we are going 70 pu
agriculture through this crisis in spit
OF MANY apparently insuperahle dii
ficulties
"While we are not as well equr
ped in agricultural colleges as
country Of larger rural POPULATION
like the United States. we are payin
State grants to institutions scattere
ever the entire country that are direct
ing their energies into this vital char
mel Of instructing the people in IN
art OF agriculture. Cambridge Tn
versity and schools and colleges a
Leeds, Bristol and Reading are anon
the institutions that are aiding in thi
80 Ft.Ns "a sc