284 Mr. William Pitt on the Production and 



To estimate the consumption of corn, and other landed produce, by our present 

 population, if we leave out the odd 320,000 for younjr children, who consume 

 but little, there remains to provide for the consumption of eight millions of 

 people. 



In our present established modes of living, bread is an indispensable article, of 

 which every one expects his fill, which cannot in general be restrained, or limited 

 in quantity, without causing clamour and complaint; and this generally made of 

 good wheat, without any mixture; the quantity made from oats, barley, and other 

 grain or pulse, being but a small proportion of the whole. Respecting the quan- 

 tity necessary to each individual, various estimates have been formed; eight bushels 

 per annum has been reckoned, but this is certainly too much, and more than neces- 

 sary. The late Dr. Withering reckoned that a labouring man, who lived chiefly 

 on bread, would consume a pound weight per day; this allowance for a year would, 

 I believe, be made from six bushels of good wheat ; but women and children re- 

 quire, in general, less. In a Report from the Birmingham Union Mill, a quartern 

 loaf and a half per week, to each individual of a family, is stated as a good allow- 

 ance ; and this agrees with my own observations upon the consumption by grown 

 persons ; but I think that children and old persons require less, where they have 

 plenty of potatoes, as well as others who have plenty of animal food and beverage; 

 and am of opinion that to one half of mankind, the full grown, healthy, and active, 

 one pound of bread each per day may be required ; and that to the other half, 

 women, children, and those who have plenty of other food, |: lb. per day is sufficient, 

 making the average 14OZ. per day, or 3201b. per annum. 



The average produce of wheat, over and above the seed, does not much exceed 

 20 bushels per acre of 60 lb. each, and I fear falls short of that quantity in unpro- 

 ductive seasons; taking that for the average, an acre of wheat is 1200 lb. weight, 

 and will produce an equal weight of bread ; for what it loses in the husk, or bran, 

 it regains in the moisture, leaven, or fermeiuation : thus yolb. of good wheat will 

 make full 561b. of flour, and 56 oz. or ^\\b. of flour maUes a quartern loaf of 

 70 oz. or 41b. 60Z. ; an acre of wheat, as above, (rejecting fractions), inay there- 

 fore be reckoned to supply for one year four persons, when a good crop; 01 the 

 supply of the present population of the kingdom requires, in a good average year, 

 at least two millions of acres of wheat. 



In 1775, when our exportation ceased, the population of the kingdom, as above, 



