30 JUNE 1933, Page 15

This year's acreage under sugar beet is the biggest ever

known in Britain ; and will probably be the biggest in history ; and where such disasters as the hail have not befallen it, the crops (as indeed almost all crops) look excellent. Sugar beet, of course, fits most admirably into -the rotation-and time-table of the farmer who grows barley; but last year was among the most disastrous years of barley growing known in East Anglian chronicles. Even the best malting barley fetched no price worth having. The result is that the beet area has increased over 30 per cent, partly at the expense of the barley, but not all at the expense of the beet.' On the subject of wheat—and incidentally on its association with sugar beet—the Norfolk Institute of Agri- culture has made some valuable experiments into -the sowing of wheat in spring. The results in general, indicate that you may sow wheat quite late in spring—April 27th is the latest date attempted—if you choose the right variety. A French wheat will be in full ear in June, while such a variety as Little Joss will look almost like grass on a lawn'.

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