Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1941 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 03.04.1941

Tillage1

Elizabeth F. Bobbett, General Secretary, Irish Farmers’ Federation, writes: I cannot let the statement made by Mr. Michael J. Kennedy, TD, at a meeting in Collinstown, Westmeath, on 23rd instant, pass. Mr. Kennedy stated: “Dr. James Ryan had warned the farmers repeatedly to put in winter wheat; the warning went unheeded, with the result that a lot of the seed had to go back to the mills for flour.” Mr. Kennedy further stated: “There must be no consideration for the farmer who shirked his responsibility. They demanded that the Department should enter these farms immediately. They guaranteed there would be dozens found to take them and cultivate them, and add to the national needs. Let red tape and regulations be cut through; the nation was demanding bread, and must get it.” Now, it is untrue to state the farmers were unmindful of the necessity to sow winter wheat, but the public must understand that weather conditions are most important for sowing winter wheat, and even the Minister for Agriculture admits that the weather has been most unsuitable, therefore he appeals for more spring wheat and other cereals and potatoes. Another thing I would like to remind your readers is the fact that nearly all winter wheat that is sown later than mid-November needs a dressing of sulphate of ammonia in the spring to help it along. Now sulphate of ammonia can’t be got at any price.

1 - The same letter was published in the Westmeath Examiner, 12.04.1941.