§ 34. Mr. LEIF JONESasked the First Commissioner of Works if he can now state to the House the number of acres of land which were ploughed last year in Richmond Park, the cost of fencing and cultivating the same, and the nature, quantity, and money value of the crops produced?
§ The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Sir Alfred Mond)Seventy-five acres in Richmond Park were ploughed for oats and 4 acres were devoted to the growing of potatoes. The cost of fencing and cultivation amounted to £725 13s. Id. The value of the resultant crops of 79 quarters of oats, 10 tons of straw, and 23 tons 13 cwts. potatoes, was £369 10s., showing a net loss of £356 3s. Id., the loss on the oats being £386 15s. Id. and the profit on the potatoes £30 12s. I am shortly laying a Paper on the Table of the House giving Returns of the cultivation in the Royal parks.
§ Sir A. MONDI am certainly going to continue them. It is no longer an experiment, because next year it will pass from the experimental stage to a state of greater certainty.
§ Mr. G. FABERIs it not of more importance that we should get the food?
§ Sir A. MONDI should have thought that that is of much more importance than the question of cost.