GROW FOOD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3081, 11 May 1917, Page 6

GROW FOOD

Sir,—ln your issue of Saturday there) appeared a report of a meeting callecj by our worthy Mayor to try and increase the production of more food.At the present crisis this is a verjj worthy object. No doubb there is a lot: of vacant land about AVellington which! could bo utilised in that direction.. Most of the important cities in. Biv tain are taking steps to increase the) output. The city of Belfast has for a| number of years been working on these lines, under what is called thq City Allotments Association. This association leases land where it can' get) it close to the city, and lots it out td workers who are prepared to cultivate! these plots, and the association hasj found a growing demand for these plots. Something like 3000 are let at? tho present time; The society provides expert advice how. to plant and cultivate these' plots. Why not try and da something here about Wellington?. There are lots of land which wguld! benefit by cultivation, and if not suitable for some crops, would be suitable! for others. Then, attempts should beJ. made to induce some of those _ who* have suitable sections to cultivate* them, though quite a lot of sections are not very suitable for so doing* Those willing could be provided witht a suitable allotment . convenient their homes, where they could their spare time in cultivating. Some of the proposals put forth att the meeting seem not very workable* For 'instance'' Miramax is too far from) the city, except for the council tej go in for a larger s"heme on its ownf account. What is wanted) is a few, acres' hore and there, close to the r<H sident parts, where men could loom after their own plots. : There : are several vacant pieces of land which couldj; be utilised in this way. Why plant some of the. city reserves m'. tbid. way? The change would do the lanoj good. There are the Baßin Reserve} and Newtown Park, and some others, whioh could be used this, season, at any} rate. It is very necessary that thin" should bo done in .this direction* In conclusion, I should say that in niyj own little plot I generally have somel vegetables all the year round, in -spta of the slugs and snalis which bothered* Dr. Gibb.—l am, etc., ■ T _.„ ' THOS. M; MILLIGAN. May 5, 1917.