114 



Now, I would suggest, as an important and necessary 

 improvement upon the agricultural statistics which I have 

 mentioned, that we should have one set of tables giving us 

 the solving and preparation of the land, and another set for 

 its yield or production. It is, perhaps, possible, so to arrange, 

 that the previous year's yield may he given at the same 

 time with the existing year's sowing and planting ; and this 

 if it could be done, would perhaps save much trouble. 



At the same time that we follow the example of France 

 and Belgium as to statistics of produce, we ought to do so 

 equally as regards live stock, distinguishing by separate ta- 

 bles, those which, though unfit for food, such as horses, 

 asses, mules, &c, are yet large consumers, from those which 

 are fit for the food of man. It would be all important, for 

 instance, in the present year, to know our stock of swine. 

 It is well known that, from the description of food upon 

 which they are usually fed, having been so dear as to prevent 

 them being kept to advantage, their number has been 

 reduced most considerably. Again, circumstances may 

 arise from time to time which would have the tendency to 

 increase the number of certain descriptions of animals. We 

 will take the horse as a case, and an important one, as 

 being a large consumer. Mr. Jevons, in his Letters on the 

 Prosperity of Landowners not being dependent upon Corn- 

 laws, published in 1840, gives it as his opinion that were 

 the duty on horses and carriages wholly remitted, it would 

 cause an increase of 10 to 15 per cent, on the numbers, and 

 would require additional produce equivalent to that of 

 400,000 acres of land for their extra supply. In France 

 this kind of information is given in such a way as to show 

 the quantity of live stock to every thousand of the human 

 population. From a French work recently published, it 

 appears that in 1839 the number of the brute creation to 

 every 1000 human beings was : — 



CatUc Sheep. Horses. Pigs Goats. Mules. Asses. 



207 956 84 140 38 11 12 



The French have likewise a census of the inferior animals, 

 end in all cases the average prices during the period are given. 



