114 Agricultural Statistics. 



brought the total production of all kinds of liay in Great 

 Britain down from 9,999,000 tons in 1913 to only 8.139,000 in 

 1911, a drop of 1,860,000 tons, or over 18 per cent. In 

 England alone the reduction was 562,000 tons for clover, 

 sainfoin. &c.. and 1,101,000 tons for permanent grass. 



Hops (of which fuller details are given in Table III.), 

 attained in 1914 the remarkably high yield of 13*84 cwt. per 

 acre, being no less than 6^ cwt. above 1913, and nearly 5 cwt. 

 above the decennial average. The total production was 

 increased by about 252,000 cwt., and was thus almost doubled. 



Prices in England and Wales. 



Corn. — The average price of British Corn per quarter in 

 1914 (see Tables IV. and V.) showed rises over 1913 of 3s. 3d. 

 for wheat, of Is. lOd. for oats, but a fall of Id. for barley. In 

 the small space at our disposal it is impossible adequately to 

 discuss the true inwardness of the relationship between the 

 war and the rise in the price of wheat and oats in the months of 

 November and December last. In passing, however, it may be 

 remarked that the average price of wheat in the two months 

 immediately preceding the outbreak of war was 34s. 1^. per 

 quarter, and thus already showed a rise of Is. on the average 

 for the corresponding period in 1913, and that the high price 

 of November and December averaged only 41s. 5d. as com- 

 pared with 43s. ii) June and July of the peaceful times of 1909. 



The effect of the general improvement in the prices of 

 British Corn in recent years is reflected in the steady rise in 

 the value of Tithe Rent-charge as calculated on the septennial 

 average — the nominal amount of 100/. being now actually 

 worth 771. Is. A^d. (see Table VI.), which represents an 

 advance of 1/. 5s. O^d. on last year, and is the highest value 

 since 1890. 



Wool. — The average prices realised for British Wool in 1914 

 (Table VII.) showed a further all-round advance, although 

 not so great as that of the previous year over 1912. In the 

 case of the Leicester, Half-bred and Southdown varieties, the 

 mean increase was about hd. per lb. The higher average for 

 the year, as a whole, was mainly due to increases in the last 

 two months, when prices ranged about 2d. per lb. above the 

 corresponding months of 1913. 



Live Stock. — From Table VIII. it will be observed that the 

 average price in 1914 for fat cattle slightly exceeded even the 

 unusually high figures of 1912 and 1913. Fat sheep also 

 showed rises, but milking cows dropped somewhat in the case 

 of Shorthorns, although rising for other breeds. Pig prices 

 fell away from the record heights of 1913, but still remained 

 good. It is noteworthy that the rise in the yearly average for 



