383 



AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF IRELAND. 



The collection of official statistics of agriculture in Ireland is intrusted to the 

 constabulary and metropolitan police, numbering 4,000 enumerators. The col- 

 lection of facts for 1865 was commenced in June, and continued eight weeks, in 

 ■which time 600,000 separate holdings were visited. The registrar general, 

 William Donelly, has made his preliminary report, from which the following 

 facts are taken : 



The total acreage under all crops this year was 5,519,678 acres. 



The total acreage under all crops in 1865 was, (revised num- 

 bers) 5,648,403 " 



Showing a decrease in the extent under crops in 1866 of 128,725 



The crops which diminished in area this year are — 



Decrease. 



Cereals : 



Oats 



liarlcy 



Bere and rye . . . 

 13eaus aud peas. 



Green crops : 

 Potatoes . 

 Turnips. . 



Meadow and clover 



Decrease on the foref^oing crops 



Acres. 



47,580 



2G, 564 



99 



2, 1J8 



15,841 

 17,091 



Acres. 



76, 361 



32, 932 



77, 998 



187, 291 



The crops which increased in acreage iu 1866 are — 



Cereals : 



Wheat 



Green crops : 



Maufjel and beet 



Cabbage - 



Carrots, parsnips, aud other green crops. 

 Vetches and rape 



Flax 



Increase _on the foregoing crops 



Making net decrease in the area under all crops 



Increase. 



Ac^es. 



5,740 

 2, 824 

 2,661 

 1,630 



icres. 



33, 485 



12,855 

 12,226 



58, .5fi6 



128, 725 



Although the foregoing statement shows a decrease of 128,725 acres in the 

 total extent under crops in 1866, there was an increase iu the extent under 

 ''grass" to the amount of 210,425 acres, and a diminution in the area under 

 " bog and waste unoccupied" of 86,664 acres. Woods and plantations also show 

 an increase this year, and fallow a decrease. (See table.) 



