§ Colonel Ropnerasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information concerning the production of maize in Germany; and whether, in view of the high food value of this cereal, he has under consideration any plans to encourage farmers to grow this crop in this country?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithThe acreage of maize in Germany has increased steadily from about 5,000 acres in 1932 to 147,000 acres in 1938, and I understand that, in the main maize is grown as a grain crop. The production of grain in 1938 was approximately 165,000 tons.
As regards the second part of the question, a considerable amount of preliminary 1392W research work has already been undertaken in this country in respect of certain varieties of this farm crop as a cereal in distinction from its use when cut green. Workers at Rothamsted and Cambridge express the view that by a prolonged course of breeding and selection of suitable parents there is a strong possibility of the development of varieties and strains of maize that may ultimately become fairly well acclimatised to the variability of our English climate. I am keeping these developments under review.