DURING the 1922-24 outbreak of foot and mouth, the large stock of animals on the Duke of Westminster's estate was divided, the healthy separated from the diseased animals, who were treated with a mixture of Stokholm tar and salt. The afflicted were cured. In later years, I was told that by walking affected sheep in a quicklime deposit killed the disease. A Kenyan, Losetti Bois, said: "These are foolish people, don't they know F&M can be cured?"

We know that the European set up has been trying several ways to reduce production of our farmers, even by stockpiling meat, butter, wheat, etc, in a hungry world, to no avail, not even bribery.

Is it not their intent to kill off animal husbandry, horse and hounds included no doubt, and to send our meat market worth £9 billion overseas, handing it over "free gratis".

They can hardly believe their Government, not should we this one, for the European Commissions man is to abolish our livestock farming and convert to arable farming only "GM crops".

Perhaps the exercise is to bring us to rely on Europe for our food, become dependant, appreciate that Nice treaty "yet another Treaty Tony is signing without our approval," is nice after all, we must not be deluded.

Our soil is as good, better than most and should be feeding the hungry, not denying food puts value into those bits of metal.

J Robinson, Whitby Ave, Preston.