§ 62. Mr. Yorkasked the Minister of Agriculture what was the average yield per acre of corn crops on those sites in the Wentworth district which are now in cultivation after being used for opencast coal mining.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsI am informed that the average yield from the first corn crop grown on restored sites in the Wentworth Woodhouse area is estimated at 10 to 12 cwt. to the acre. The hon. Member will appreciate that the usual procedure in the restoration of land after opencast coal working is to seed the land to grass first of all to develop a pasture which can be grazed. It is only in a few exceptional cases that, because of the urgent need for an increase in cereal crops, it has been decided to risk taking a first crop of corn.