COUNTRY ALLOTMENTS SIR,—It is generally recognised that the Government allot-
ments scheme is making but slow headway in country, as distinct from town districts. The experience of this village is probably typical: a meeting was called by the Parish Council to consider the provision of allotments. There was a very poor attendance, and interest was lukewarm. Not one application was made for an allotment, the chief reason given being that the cottage gardens were quite large enough for their owner's needs.
It was felt by many people that unless some unit could be formed, and interest aroused from another angle, that little could be done in the way of increased food production. The problem was an urgent one, and after some thought a second meeting was called unofficially (after some preliminary propa- ganda by a keen local gardener) to form a food pro- duction club, with its first object the co-operative buying of vegetable seeds and lime. This meeting was attended by some forty of the men in the village, and after a lively and interested discussion it was unanimously decided to form a club. That club can be expanded to meet local requirements in any direction: bee-keeping, under the direction of an expert, may be considerably increased ; it might extend its co-operative buying to small livestock, feeding stuffs and sugar for preserving ; it could, without throwing on workers the individual responsibility for an allotment, provide for the co-operative working of ground to provide additional feeding- stuffs for livestock or additional vegetables such as onions or carrots, previously largely imported from abroad (it may be noted that most villagers buy onions in the winter) ; it could be a centre for the giving of advice on cultivation, crops, storage, fruit preservation, &c., and the focus for an anti- waste campaign. Further, it could be made an agency for any Government marketing scheme which may be evolved later, and in promoting thrift, self-help and independence might prove a valuable permanent asset to the nation in both war and peace.
Should any of your readers be interested in trying to start experimental clubs on the lines suggested, or in discussing details of policy and organisation, I should be very glad to
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