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On Agricultural Statistics 



1854; and the omission of the equine race from the census of 

 live stock is testimony to the provisional and experimental cha- 

 racter of that measure. The very great divergence in the esti- 

 mated number of sheep at the different periods may be partly 

 accounted for if we suppose that the estimates were not all made 

 at the same season of the year. At the recent census the Iambs 

 in many counties were omitted altogether, owing to the date at 

 Avhich the returns were made, and therefore it is useless to seek 

 for any reconciliation of the several statements, whilst it would 

 be certainly an unwarrantable conclusion to assume any great 

 decrease in the actual number of sheep without more reliable 

 data to build upon. 



The following Table gives a summary view of the results of 

 the Cattle Census for the United Kingdom, and its component 

 divisions : — 



Total Number of Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs in each Division of the 

 United Kingdom. 



According to this statement the entire edible stock of the 

 United Kingdom amounts to about 38 million head : of which 

 8 million are cattle, 26 million sheep, and 4 million pigs. 

 McCulloch's estimate in 1847 was 7^ millions cattle, and 

 32 million sheep ; and the reason why he so closely approximates 

 to the truth with respect to the cattle for the whole of the king- 

 dom, while, as I have shown, his numbers for England and 

 Wales were exaggerated, is that he only takes the cattle in Ire- 

 land at one-half the number at present returned. For Scotland 

 the following results of different inquiries may be quoted in con- 

 junction with the recent census: — 



