435 



(tlien 12.38 inches,) the driest year since tlie observations commenced, 

 and in both years the harvest has been very good both in wheat and 

 barley, except that in some localities the wheat-fly maggot has been 

 very destructive. In 1864, the next driest year, the harvest was also 

 very good. The rain-table shows the following results: In 1859 there 

 was a fall of 11.44 inches in the first eight mouths of the year, and a 

 productive harvest. In 1860 23.08 inches fell, and the harvest was very 

 bad ; in 1861 there w as a moderate fall of 14.75, and the harvest was 

 again good : in 1862 the fall increased to 18.24, (March and July being 

 wet,) and the harvest was again very bad ; in 1863, with 16.53, (the 

 excess in August, otherwise the driest year,) the most productive har- 

 vest of years was the result. In 1864, with 12.71, the harvest was very 

 good, and in 1865, with 14.09, harvest was rather below average, owing to 

 rust in August. In 1866, the great flood year, with 19.29, the harvest 

 was very bad, and again in 1867, another flood year, with. 21.33, the har- 

 vest was still worse. In 1868, with a decrease to 12.38, the harvest was 

 very good ; in 1869, with 16.23, the harvest was below average ; and this 

 year, with 12.41, the harvest is generally good. 



AGEICULTUEAL STATISTICS OF lEELAND. 



The collection of these statistics was commenced June 1, and occupied 

 nearly two months, about 600,000 holdings having been visited and a 

 return made from each. The total acreage under all crops this year 

 was 5,642,556 acres, against 5,577,780 acres in 1869. The wheat acre- 

 age shows an increase of 19,546 acres, and that of oats, 36,476. In bar- 

 ley there is an increase of 19,242 acres ; in here and rye, 581 acres : and 

 in beans and peas, 760 acres. Green crops show an increase of 29,455 

 acres, the largest amount being in the extent under turnips, which 

 increased 16,987 acres. There is an increase in the extent under meadow 

 and clover of 105,119 acres, and a decrease in flax of 34,359 acres. The 

 extent under grass is 9,990,968 acres, against 10,041,390 acres in 1869; 

 fallow, 19,054 acres, against 20,084 in 1869 ; wood and plantations, 

 321,557, against 320,461 in 1869; bog and waste unoccupied, 4,345,789, 

 against 4,359,609 in 1869. 



The returns of live stock as compared with those for 1869. show an 

 increase of 3,105 horses, 62,705 cattle, and 377,108 swine. Sheep ex- 

 hibit a decrease of 317,211. The estimated value of horses, cattle, 

 sheep, and pigs is £35,518,465, being an increase of £554,875 over pre- 

 ceding year. 



DISEASES OF CATTLE IN EUKOPE. 



The foot and mouth disease apjiears to be spreading to an alarming ex- 

 tent in England. The Mark Lane Express states that accounts from Dor- 

 setshire continue bad. Sixty-one fresh cases were reported in the Wim- 

 borne district. Thirty-three returns, embracing 198 cattle and 55 swine, 

 were read at the committee's meeting at Sturminster-Newton. Sherborne 

 r-eturns report 232 diseased cattle on twenty-two farms ; Bridgeport, 

 54 on nine farms. In the border county of Somerset thirty farms have 

 the disease on them. The disease is spreading in East Lancashire. 

 During the preceding week it broke out on twenty-seven farms and af- 

 4 



