Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-03
ENGLAND MAY Be
SELF SUPPORTING
GREAT REVIVAL OF AGRiCUL.
TuRAL LIFE PLANNED AT
CLOSE OF WAR.
SOLDIERS TO BE GIVEN
CHANCE TO BE FARMERS
War Demonstrates That Nation Can
Not Depend on Other Countries For
Food in Time OF Need - "Ensiand
Must Feed Herself" Is New Slogan
Women Succeed as TiIIers Of Soil.

merce for four fifths Of their food
supply, barring meat, of which be-
tween 60 and 70 per cent is produced
at home.
The motto of a few years ago.
Back to the Land" thus has given
way to the slogan, England must
feed herself Lord Selborne, the
leader of the crusade, declares that
the attainment of this object is the
country's sacred duty, and he empha-
sizes the point that the farmer can do
as much for the country as the SOL
der inthe trenches.
Plans for the great reform include
number Of important measures that
are to be put into effect at the earliest
possible moment. They include the
following:
/. The repopulaton of the rural
districts and afforestation. The war
office has just consented to the
exchange of many of the older men
who in the earlier days of the war
left farm work for the firing line for
men between 10 and 80 to take their
places at the front. This exchange
will begin Immediately.
.. The setting aside of thousands
of acres for the settlement on the
cooperative plan of England's soldiers
and sailors after the war. This eX-
pediency is provided for by the
Smallhol gliding Colonies Act. now half
way through Parliament. The scheme
will provide for modern villages bet
ter housing with garden to every
cottage, reading rooms, libraries, and
good schools. Conceived by Lord
Selborne, the idea has aroused so
much enthusiasm that wide de-
mand has been made for increasing
the land to be devoted to it by almost
as much again as is specified in the
bill.
8. The importation of natives from
South Africa for agricultural labor
during the remainder Of the war.
though so many objections have been
raised to it that there is little likeli-
hood of it's being adopted.
Soldiers to Turn Farmers.
1t is believed the plan for bringing
back soldiers from the front will have
the effect of providing sufficient farm
labor practically Immediately. In
announcing the war Offices consent to
the transfers. an expert told the
agricultural society that in England
and Scotland. as well as in Ireland.
the farms of many districts had fallen
far below their minimum needs in the
matter of labor.
The tendency to regard more ser
iously the countrys capacity for
growing larger crops is illustrated by
the figures Of the wheat, barley and
oats crops of England and Wales.
Wheat and oats were grown in larger
quantities, though the barley crops
were much smaller. There were
5,4S9939 acres devoted to the three
cereals in England and Wales
in 1915. an increase of 24S,O44 acres
as compared with 1914. The great
est increase in acreage was devoted TO
wheat, or 2.17O.1T0 acres in all. the
figures representing an increase or
362672 acres GO per cent?, greater
than in 1914. and % per cent greater
than during any of the years between
1905 and 1915. Every country return
cd increased areas. the total for
Wales of 11,423 acres (31 per cent? be-
ing the greatest
The returns for 1915 give 2,oSS,o41
acres under oats, an increase OF loi-
=
only 24,ss9 acres above the average
for the past ten years. The whole OF
this increase was in England. The
reduction Of the areas under, barley
amounted to 15s.421 acres, the total
acreage of 1,231,722 being the lowest
vel recorded.
Perhaps to no individual as much
as to the Earl Of Sel5orne Is due the
credit of bringing home to the peo-
ple Ct all classes the Importance OF
taking prompt means ~ making the
country mora nearly self support n"
in food Stuff. In all II his addresses
in recent years he has aid st-ess On
the point. A practical farmer ana
enthusiast on his large and fertile
tract in Hampshire. he has been able
tor meet the objections Of opponents OF
expert knowledge to the great advan-
tage Of his crusade.
Women Succeed as Farmers.
AS under secretary for the colonies
between 1895 and 1900, as well as
during his term Of office as high COM
missioner Of South Africa, immed-
lately after the war. he had further
opportunity Of charging his know
ledge as to agriculture.
Just before resigning as president
of the board Of agriculture the other
day as a matter of principle, due to
his views on the Irish question, Lord
Selborne consented to review briefly
the situation as to agriculture in an
interview with representative of the
Press.
81 have been highly gratified by the
ready response Of the people general
ly to the idea Of making the country
more nearly self supporting from the
SOIL" he said. II have made my plea
for the cultivation of the soil on the
grounds Of patriotism; the farmers
and laborers came forward first to
meet the emergency, and then the
girls and women from the villages
and even cities-some Of the best
types of women, including many OF
means, answering my call
out of pure, unadulterated patriotism.
-These women have taken to the
soil enthusiastically and with the in
telligence that seems to characterize
everything they are undertaking. They
are living like laborers and are doing
RI 2 bly, well all of the farm labor
er's work-milking and feeding and
looking after the stock like veterans.
Many Of these even have mastered the
work of handling horses and can get