398 On Agricultural Statistics 



In 1854 a further and greatly enlarged experiment was under- 

 taken. The area in this instance embraced the whole of Scot- 

 land and eleven English and Welsh counties, and the modus 

 operandi was the same as in the preceding year — namely, through 

 the Highland Society in Scotland, and the Poor Law Board 

 by means of its inspectors and officers in England. The relative 

 success of the attempt in the two divisions of Great Britain was 

 very much in favour of Scotland, where, " owing in great measure 

 to the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Hall Maxwell," the extent 

 of failure was less than one-fifth per cent., whilst in England it 

 amounted to about seven per cent. 



In 1855 a Select Committee of the House of Lords was ap- 

 pointed to inquire into the best mode of obtaining accurate 

 agricultural statistics from all parts of the United Kingdom ; 

 and after examining a number of Avitnesses representing the 

 agricultural interest, and others, they drew up their Report, 

 embodying their recommendations in certain resolutions, of 

 which the following is an epitome : — - 



1. Systematic collection of statistics an object of national im- 



portance and utility. 



2. Returns should be made compulsory under penalty. 



3. Machinery : Board of Trade through Poor-Law officers in 



England and Wales, the Highland Society in Scotland, 

 and the Constabulary in Ireland. 



4. Two classes of returns should be annually obtained ; the 



first, comprising returns of live stock and of acreage 

 under each description of crop, to be sent in by the 15th 

 of July ; and the second, consisting of estimates of the 

 produce of the harvest, to be made up between the 1st and 

 30th of November. 



5. Power to modify Schedules. 



6. The inquiries not to extend below holdings of two acres in 



England and Wales. 



7. Parochial rate-books to be accessible to the officers employed 



in the collection. 



8. Strict enforcement of the Act for taking corn-averages. 



9. Expenses of collection to be defrayed out of the national 



exchequer. 

 10. Government should introduce a Bill into Parliament as 

 early as possible for giving effect to the foregoing recom- 

 mendations. 



From whatever cause, the responsible Ministers took no 

 legislative action on the recommendations of the Committee, and 

 although, thanks to the persistent energy of Mr. Caikd, who for 

 many years stood in loco parentis to the subject, agricultural 

 statistics formed an annual topic of discussion within the walls 



