11 AUGUST 1928, Page 12

NORFOLK CLAIMS.

English farmers, perhaps, do not exploit their quality of northerliness as much as they might ; but of recent years quite a considerable trade in grain seed has developed owing to the belief among French farmers that seed from over the Channel is the best. Norfolk farmers, for example, send a good deal of grain seed to a farmers' syndicate at Lille, to the benefit of both parties. It is a general belief, though not perhaps very scientifically documented, that trees and bushes do better if their second home is south of their first. Doubtless, in general, the English climate is too cold and damp for growing seed crops. We must secure much of our vegetable seed from France and Italy ; but this does not apply to the standard farm crops. Apart from grains and the older roots, Norfolk now grows some of the best sugar-beet seed in the world ; and where else do bumble-bees more successfully set clover seed ?

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