HOLBEACH VENTURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9654, 10 July 1919, Page 7

HOLBEACH VENTURE.

Holboach, Lincolnshire, the scene of the most interesting of the British ■Government's experiments in scientific coionissition, lies bit" the main railway arteries. The 'country- hero is ail ''warpe" or reclaimed land, and is not exceeded"'for. fertility by any soil in England. Holbeach is -a wide-wa-yed market town, whose station yard is filled with groat shire-horses and farm wagons, big as galleons, laden with sacks of potatoes. The prominence of the potato is thus one's first impression of the town, and that staple brought much gain to the local farmer during the lean years ol: the war.

A walk of two or three miles northwards from the town brings one again to the unmistakable sight of the model cottages- dotted like little red boxes about the landscape. As at Patrington, the central farm suggests plenty and prosperity. Holbeach is a colony worked on the small-holding system, provision being made for 80 holdings of about 10 acres each.

On the central demonstration farm, around which small buildings are grouped, 'specimens of the crops are grown on tine most up-to-date methods. From the farm, as a centre, the smallholder obtains, on the most advantageous terms, the seeds, manures, implements, and other things he requires, and ■• through it is enabled to distribute his produce also in the most profitable and economic way. And, what is also of great importance, he has the best expert advice always at his diposai in the director, or "agronoma," of the central farm.

But this is not only an economic and vocational, bvit also a social centre, for here, too,' are the recreation hall, the school, the church and- chapel, the athletic grounds, and the other resources of the kind, supported by and available for the whole settlement. The colony is a little world in itself, self-sufficient, and always advancing in its material and social interests! In such a colony as Holbeach, the idea of co-operation is fully and frankly applied to agricultural life.

[ Holbeach is about 1000 acres in extents. Two hundred of these will be reserved for the central farm, so that the settlers, when their tale is com-, plete, will number about 80. "There j are at present about 28, all ex-sei-vice men, who have passed their probation, and J?een placed "on the [Strength." ' : ' Aftei" that, until'he gel-s the land, he works for wage upon the estate. The .wage during exceptional war conditions has been no less than £2 8s per week, and this, too, for a very short working, day, at,.any rate, in the winter. I "gather that after about 12 months of such work a satisfactory man will begin to obtain his own land, perhaps five acres to start with.

During the war, 'elementary food production being the prime necessity, wheat and potatoes have been mostly grown on these acres. But .the soil, which'is singularly fertile, i« verj> well suited for the' special staples of the small-holder, fruit and vegetables. These, with the experimental object-, lessons of the demonstration farm, should be produced in paying quantities, and in course of time the whole face of this country, which is at present somewhat bare and flat, will be changed by the blbssoiras and greenery of the"fruit''orchards. Under the system of co-operative distribution, the growers should have no difficulty in marketing their produce in the Midland towns or in London.

A certain amount of dairy, farming will be carried on on the estate for the benefit of the settlers, and it is very pleasant to notice that two snacious areas of pasture land, or "common," are to be reserved for the settlers, who wilt be able to use it without charge for any stock or horses they may keep. The cottages whir-h I looked into, both empty and furnished, are sunny, airy, and cosy little houses in whir-h even a duke with a .small family miclit make himself happy and comfortable. If I may mnke one criticism, it is t7i.it neither at Patrington or at Holbeaeh is any bathroom provided for the colonist. This seems a very serious omission, and I have not been able to understand why the omission, which was obviously deliberate, has been made.

But in every ot-fier resptv-t tlt^cie s^mi-detarh^d divelh'tifs are admirable. The sea of fertile and clean-cultivated land rolls up almost to their doors, and crood. broad roads run throup-h the estate and link it with the little town of Holbeaeh.

There is no lack of candidates for .membership of these colonies. The managership is, therefore, quite justified in oxercising a, rather stringent choice. A single undesirable character might prejudice the ■■ ■harmony and good-fellowship that ought to reign throughout the settlement. The professional agitator and the chronic grumbler should be steadily discouraged from joining the colony. Grievances, even legitimate grievances, there win always be in such a t3ommunity, but they ought to be discussed and, if needs be, redressed in a fair spirit of accommodation.

There aro two other colonies, the Heath Hill, in Shropshire, and ttio Pepibrey, in Wales.