485 
Of cereals, the wheat acreage shows a steady decline during each of 
the last six years, having fallen from 244,541 acres in 1871 to 119,597 in 
1876. The oats acreage is about what it was in 1871, having been con- 
siderably larger in some of the intermediate years. Barley, bere, rye, 
beans, and pease have about held their own. Of green crops, potatoes, 
with some fluctuation, have shown a declining tendency, having fallen 
from 1,058,431 acres in 1871 to 880,693 in 1876. Turnips, mangel, beet- 
root, carrots, parsnips, &e., have steadil y enlarged their acreage, ’ while 
vetches and rape have fallen off. The areain flaxis larger than any 
year of the last five, having gradually declined, till in 1875 it amounted 
to but 101,174 acres. The acreage in meadow and clover is larger than 
in 1871, put less than in 1874 and 1875. 
Of farm- animals, horses and mules numbered 556,630, an increase of 
8,511; the aggregate of 1876 was only exceeded by that of 1872, 560,804, 
during the last ten years. Asses numbered 182,614, an increase of 
2,259 over 1875, and the largest annual aggregate for ten years. Dur- 
ing the last decade the number of cattle increased from 3,707,803 
in 1867 to 4,147,162 in 1873, declining in the subsequent years to 
4,113,693 in 187 6, ‘a loss of 1 595 compared with 1875. Sheep have stead- 
ily declined ; the greatest aggregate of the past ten years was 4,901,496 
in 1868, and the smallest 4,007,518 in 1876, a decrease of "O46, 509 
from 1875. The aggregates of swine have greatly fluctuated during 
ten years, ranging from 869,578 in 1868 to 1,621,423 in 1871; in 1876 the 
returns showed 1,424,143, an increase of 172,087. over 1875. The number 
of goats regularly increased from 190,429 in 1867 to 270,691 in 1875, and 
then fell off to 264,246 in 1876. Poultry shows a uniform annual increase 
from 10,334,309 in 1867 to 13,582,782 in 1876, an increase of 1,443,644 
compared with 1875. : 
THE ENGLISH HOP TRADE.—A correspondent of the Mark Lane 
Kixpress estimates the English production as follows: Mid Kent 
district, 17,000 acres and 119,000 ewt.; East Kent, 12,000 acres and 
78,000 cwt.; West and North Kent, 4,000 acres and 12,000 ecwt.; 
Weald of Kent, 10,000 acres and 60,000 ewt.; Sussex, 11,000 acres 
aud 55,000 ewt. ; Worcester and Hereford, 9,000 Acres and 13, 500 ewe. ; 
Surrey and Hants, 5,500 acres and 33, 000 ewt. The total area is 
given at 68,500 acres, and the ageregate product 370,500 ewt., or 
5.41 ewt. per acre. The writer quotes a recent circular of a leading firm 
of brewers, stating that crops on the continent are everywhere short ; ; in 
Bohemia, expecially, there is a general failure. Au average crop on the 
whole continent would produce from 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 cwt., whereas 
the actual yield is supposed not to exceed from 260 000 to 300, 000 cwt., 
while the actual consumption is between 550,000 and 600,000 owt. Ht and 
the stock remaining over is supposed to be between 150, 000 and 180,000 
ewt. In England old stocks are remarkably low. 
