ENGLAND’S WONDER FARM.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 37, 15 May 1917, Page 5

ENGLAND’S WONDER FARM.

315 ACRES OF ONIONS. The inundation of the Dutch onionproducing area some months ago and the extremely high price which the vegetable has recently commanded suggested to Mr George Cauldwell, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, tho idea of growing onions ou a large scale. Hitherto the amount of hand labour required (it being essential to keep the ground free from weeds), and the lack of sandy soil which onions need, -has prevented Lincolnshire farmers from growing more than an acre or two of onions, but Mr Cauldwell has planted 315 acres, and is anxiously awaiting results. Failure of tho crop means not only tho loss of some thousands of pounds, but it means that other Fenland farmers will be discouraged from taking up onion growing, and at a time like the present, when every possible endeavour must be made to increase our national resources, this would be very undesirable. In lieu of sandy soil, Mr Cauldwell decided to try his experiment on the silt stratum near the river Welland, which borders his farm. At great expense, for the ordinary price has been about 2s an ounce, Mr Caldwell purchased a ton of seed, and then came the labour problem. Not only is the farm in a remote district, but most of the available men had enlisted, and the necessary women labour was not to be found in the near locality. ‘ Consequently an advertisement was thrown on the screen in picture houses at Boston, the nearest large town, with the result that to-day 400 women are taken backwards and forward from the onion fields, a distance of 24 miles, in specially adapted lorries, while others arc brought from nearer places. Tne women, among whom are sixty war widows, are paid half a crown a day, and for the most part wear trousers and khaki breeches.

Up to tho present, Mr Caldwell’s crops have escaped the attacks of the worm which has -worked havoc with Bedfordshire onion crops, but battle is not yet over. The crop has to be harvested. For this purpose Mr Gaudwell has already got ten miles of wire netting in place of chiting boxes to expose the crop to the sun, and i« constantly trying new implements and materitls. Large quantities of London soot are being used to repel the attacks of worms and for manurial purposes. Mr Caldwell has carried ou his onion growing experiment with the same thoroughness with which he cultivates his 300 acres. England's wonder farm, it has been called, and with truth, for every field, the smallest of which is 35 acres, is connected with light railways by means of which one horse can draw 20 tons on a winter’s day with greater ease than three Shire horses could pull one ton in the old days, and two miles of telephone wire keep Mr Caldwell in touch with the whole farm.

By means of the 10 to 12 miles of railway on the farm, produce is taken to a specially-constructed dock, where it can be rapidly tipped on to six-ton motor lorries and carried to the railway some five or six miles away, or else the produce is taken to a wharf on the river Welland and unloaded on to afleet of 100-ton barges and floated down on the tide to Sur,fleet station. Wind and tide are generally sufficient to carry these barges downstream, but failing them, one horse can take two of these barges, containing 200 tons of potatoes or their equivalent with ease. These are but a few facts to show the scientific and complete methods by which Mr George Caldwell cultivates the richest area in the world, and it is to be hoped that his latest plucky experiment will meet with tho success it deserves.