Si A. D. Hall last week made the very gratifying
announcement that we should have three million acres under wheat in England and Wales this year. This was the ideal which Sir• A. D. Hall used to set before a somewhat careless and sceptical public that did not dream of war and blockade. It is very much to the credit of the farmers that, despite the scarcity of labour, they should have ful- filled the ambitious programme so quickly. The munition workers have accomplished no greater marvels than these quiet country people of whom we hear nothing. Sir A. D. Hall stated also that two million acres of permanent grass had been ploughed up for this year's crops, and that we should probably have as much land under food crops in the United Kingdom this year as we had in the " seventies." The Land Drainage Bill, which was read a second time in the House of Commons on Tuesday, will apply to a million acres of waterlogged land that may be brought under cultivation next year. We shall need every ounce of home-grown food before peace and the normal conditions of life return.
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