340 Statistics affecting British Agriculturcd Interests. 



Live Stock Returns. 



Compared with the previous year the Horses used for Agri- 

 cultural purposes in England decreased by 26,898 or 3*2 per 

 cent., which is not so bad as the decrease of 4| per cent, in the 

 previous year. The unbroken horses also decreased by l),558 

 or over 2-3 per cent. The numbers of both these classes are 

 lower than in any year since at least 1900. Last year the num- 

 ber of Agricultural Horses in England was 81G,734, and in the 

 United Kingdom 1,443,269, not including stallions or unbroken 

 horses. 



Once more Cattle decreased in England, the total decrease 

 being 86,521 or over 1*6 per cent. The numbers were lower 

 than in the previous three years. Cows and heifers in milk 

 decreased by 19,297 or neai'ly 1*2 per cent., and Cows and 

 Heifers in Calf by 26,996 or 5*6 per cent. The total of Cattle 

 in England stood at 5,087,455, and in the United Kingdom at 

 11,914,635. This last figure shows an increase in the year of 

 48,524 — about '4 per cent. 



Sheep also decreased once again in England, the decrease 

 last year being 1,235,040 or 7-8 per cent., while Ewes kept for 

 breeding decreased by nearly 5'2 per cent. The totals are 

 lower, in the case of Sheep in general, than since 1898 at least, 

 and in the case of Ewes kept for breeding, since 1905. 



The total of Pigs decreased last year in England by just a 

 shade under 6 per cent., and in the United Kingdom by just 

 over 6 per cent., the decrease in Ireland being over 6*4 per cent. 

 The number of Sow^s kept for breeding decreased in England 

 by 12-7 per cent., and in the United Kingdom by 11*1 percent. 

 Taking the average of the preceding five years there was a 

 decrease of 35,000 or 1*5 per cent, in Pigs generally, and of 4*2 

 per cent, in Sows kept for breeding. 



Produce Returns. 



There was last year in England a drop of 11 per cent, from 

 the heavy Wheat crop of 1911, and the produce stood at nearly 

 4 per cent, below the average of the preceding five years. 

 The yield per acre fell by nearly 12 per cent, in England and 

 by very nearly as much in Scotland. 



Barley again decreased in England last year, the fall being 

 of 1 per cent. In the rest of the United Kingdom there were 

 increases in yield, that in Scotland being of 9'6, that in Wales 

 42, and that in Ireland over 2 per cent. In England last year 

 the fall in produce per acre was 8*8 per cent, from the previous 

 year, and 15*8 per cent, from the average of the preceding five 

 years. 



Oats also continued to decrease in England, the fall last 

 year was of 7'6 per cent, in the yield, which was 17 per cent. 



