Increase of the man in the value of live stock and its produce. This increase of 8 per cent., amounting to nearly one million acres, not having diminished the extent of corn, must represent an addition of that breadth gained by reclamation during the ten years; and, as some considerable extent of land is yearly taken from cultivation by the increase of towns and the construction of new railroads, this shows an important gain by agricultural enterprise. The general extent of green crops has very gold crop. slightly altered in the ten years, potatoes alone showing some diminution. A large increase, however, in the proportion of mangold is shown by a rise of 100,000 acres more than in 1867. This is a root-crop peculiarly well suited to the deep soils and dry and warm climate of the south-east and southern counties; and its keeping properties, continuing well into the following summer, are a great recommendation to the stock farmer. A rise of 40 per cent. in the breadth cultivated, within so short a period as ten years, is a convincing proof that the great value of this plant is at length beginning to be gene CHANGES OF CROP IN IRELAND. II rally recognised, and there seems a probability of its continued extension. In live-stock there has been a moderate increase in Great Britain during the past ten years. tion of corn crease of grass in Ireland. In Ireland the change of crops has been Diminugreater than in England or Scotland, the extent and inof land under corn having diminished in ten years by 12 per cent. Wheat has fallen to less than one-half, there is an increase of 28 per cent. in barley, but a decrease of nearly 10 per cent. in oats. Potatoes have fallen 12 per cent., while turnips have slightly increased. On the whole there has been a diminution of 267,000 acres of land under corn, and an addition of 203,000 acres to permanent meadow and grass. The reduction of the acreage of wheat, for which the climate of most parts of Ireland is too moist, and the considerable decline in potatoes, the tempting but precarious crop upon which that country has hitherto too much relied, are evident signs of prudence and prosperity. In the same period, though there has been a reduction in the number of sheep, that is much more than compensated by an increase in cattle. And as the Present great agri cultural prosperity country. expenditure on drainage and land improvement, and in the building of farmhouses and labourers' cottages, has been greatly increasing, year by of that year, the state of agriculture in Ireland, chiefly owing to the high price of live-stock, and the increasing demand for store animals to be fattened in Great Britain, now appears to have attained a position of general progress and prosperity greater than has ever been previously experienced in that portion of the United Kingdom. The extent of land under the various crops in the United Kingdom in 1879 was, in wheat, 3,056,000 acres; barley, 2,931,000 acres; oats, 3,998,000 acres ; potatoes, 1,393,000 acres; other green crops, 3,478,000 acres; flax, 135,000 acres; hops, 68,000 acres; bare fallow, 738,000 acres; grass under rotation, 6,441,000 acres ; permanent pasture, 24,400,000 acres (besides mountain pastures and wastes); woods and plantations, 2,511,000. The number of live-stock of various kinds in 1879 was, of horses, 2,834,000; cattle, 9,993,000; sheep, 32,257,000; pigs, 3,164,000. Table showing Comparative Quantity and Value of Home and Foreign Agricultural Produce consumed Annually. VALUE OF HOME AND FOREIGN PRODUCE. 13 120,000,000 Cheese and Butter 3,000,000 3,800,000 6,800,000 Milk 313,000,000 £87,087,500 £62,200,000 £149,287,500 2,700,000 16,000,000 Quantity and value of home and foreign agricultural pro By the aid of the agricultural returns, and those of the annual imports of foreign and colonial produce, I have constructed the preceding Table, showing the comparative quantities of home and foreign growth, and the value of agricultural produce at present required for the annual consumption of the people and live-stock of this country. The grass, green crops other than potatoes, and hay used on the farm, and straw, are not included, nor the value of the increase of horses. The total value of the home crop is more than double that which we import, but the proportion of vegetable and animal produce is duce, re- singularly close, as will be seen by this further spectively consumed annually in the British Islands. |