§ Major Markhamasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is now in a position to give any information as to the plans of the Meteorological Office for assisting agriculture in this country; and what is the present position with regard to the special agricultural branches of that Department at Harrow and Bristol and also with regard to the proposed meteorological advisory sections to be set up at Cambridge for the Eastern Region, at Leeds, for the Northern Region and at Edinburgh, for Scotland.
Mr. WardThe Meteorological Office helps agriculture in many ways. The B.B.C. forecasts, issued four times a day, are drafted with the needs of farmers in mind. Frost warnings are broadcast in spring, and snow warnings in winter and spring. During the harvest, farmers can, for a nominal fee, receive individual notification by telegram when spells of fine weather are expected.
96WIn order to foster close co-operation between the farmer and the meteorologist, a special branch of the Meteorological Office at Harrow is devoted to agricultural meteorology. It is responsible for applying existing meteorological data, facilities and knowledge to agricultural problems, and for research into fundamental questions such as micro-climate, the relationships between weather and crops, pests, diseases, land utilisation and irrigation. The staff keep in close touch with agricultural research establishments throughout Great Britain.
The Headquarters Branch maintains a unit at the Agricultural Advisory Service Centre at Bristol to find out from farmers how best meteorology can help them. It is hoped to establish similar units at the Advisory Centres at Edinburgh, Cambridge and Leeds in that order, but I cannot say how soon this will be possible.