Ac- .'AL STATISTICS. 



various inquiries has created such a fund of local 

 knowledge among the officers of the Inland 

 Revenue that there can now be no doubt enter- 

 tained of the substantial accuracy of the returns. 



Minute accuracy is not expected or required, Their ac- 

 curacy suf- 

 but the comparisons from year to year show the ficient for 



practical 



relative accuracy obtained to be sufficient for all use- 

 practical purposes. 



It appears from these returns that there Theirmain 



features. 



was an exceptional decrease in the acreage of 

 wheat in 1876, and again in 1879, caused 

 by low price and unfavourable seed-time, 

 from which a considerable change has occurred 

 during the past ten years in the production of 

 wheat in Great Britain. It has diminished in 

 England, and largely in Scotland and Ireland, 

 the diminution amounting to one fourth of 

 its area since 1869. Barley has increased, while 

 oats remain much the same, but the total extent 

 of arable has diminished by more than 10 per 

 cent. 



The permanent pasture during the same increase of 



pasture. 



period has increased steadily no doubt from 

 the increased cost of labour and the gradual rise 



