6 OCTOBER 1923, Page 3

Sir John Green suggest& a subsidy of £1 a" quarter

on wheat. On the present production of wheat the subsidy would cost just under £7,000,000 a year. Sir John Green suggests that if the acreage under the plough were doubled, the increased subsidies which would be necessary would be extremely well spent. The letter is a delightful example of directness of exposition and of cheerful confidence. We should prefer, however, to put the subsidy lower—say at 10s. a quarter—and to subsidize several of the products.of arable land, particularly of course the grains. Why, wheat only, though it is of course the staple food ? It is interesting to remember that the word " corn " in its widest technical significance includes not grains alone but such things as beans and potatoes.