378 ADVERSITY, 1874-1912 



Sir James Caird's evidence given in 1886, before the Royal Com- 

 mission on Depression of Trade, the yearly income of landlords, 

 tenants, and labourers had diminished since 1876 by 42,800,000. 



The worst was by no means over. On the contrary, the pressure 

 of foreign competition gradually extended to other branches of 

 agriculture. The momentum of a great industry in any given direc- 

 tion cannot be arrested in a day ; still less can it be diverted towards 

 another goal without a considerable expenditure of time and money. 

 Unreasonable complaints were made against the obstinate con- 

 servatism of agriculturists, because they were unable to effect a 

 costly change of front as easily as a man turns in his bed. The 

 aims and methods of farming were gradually adapted to meet 

 the changed conditions. As wheat, barley, and oats declined 

 towards the lowest prices of the century, increased attention was 

 paid to grazing, dairying, and such minor products as vegetables, 

 fruit, and poultry. The corn area of England and Wales shrank 

 from 8,244,392 acres in 1871 to 5,886,052 acres in 1901. 1 Between 

 the same years the area of permanent pasture increased from 

 11,367,298 acres to 15,399,025 acres. Yet before the change was 

 complete farmers once more found themselves checkmated. The 

 old adage " Down horn, up corn " had once held true. Now both 

 were down together. Till 1885 the prices of fat cattle had been 

 well maintained, and those of sheep till 1890. Both were now 

 beginning to decline before the pressure of foreign competition. 

 Up till 1877 both cattle and sheep had been chiefly sent in alive 

 from European countries. Now, America and Canada joined in 

 the trade, and the importation of dead meat rapidly increased. 

 Consignments were no longer confined to beef and pigs' meat. 

 New Zealand and the Republic of Argentina entered the lists. The 

 imports of mutton, which in 1882 did not exceed 181,000 cwts., and 

 chiefly consisted of meat boiled and tinned, rose in 1899 to 3J million 

 cwts. of frozen carcases. The importation of cheese rose by more 

 than a third ; that of butter was doubled ; that of wool increased 

 more than two-fold. Meanwhile the outgoings of the farmer were 

 steadily mounting upwards. Machinery cost more ; labour rose in 

 price and deteriorated in efficiency. The expenses of production 

 rose as the profits fell. 



Some attempt was made by Parliament to relieve the industry. 

 The recommendations of the Richmond Commission were gradually 

 1 For statistics of agriculture, see Appendix IX. 



