30 MARCH 1918, Page 3

On February 1st the area of land under wheat in

England and Wales was 2,504,000 acres. At the same date last year the area under wheat was only 1,725,000 acres, though this was larger than the average wheat acreage in the ten years before the war. The farmers with State help have thus increased the area under wheat. by forty-fire per cent. in the twelve months. It is a gratifyirg result, which does credit to the farmers' energy and patriotism in the face of many difficulties.