Consumption of Corn in Great Britain, Sec, 285 



was 6,649,702 persons, and could, if we deduct, as before, one twenty-fifth part 

 for young children, be supplied from 1,600,000 acres of wheat. 



But as I fear a good average year does not exceed the above stated acre^ble 

 produce, and some years may fall considerably short of it, even by one third of 

 the whole, though a very productive year may exceed it, I believe we need make 

 no deduction for infants, but may conclude that the regular supply of the kingdom 

 requires a growth of wheat upon a number of acres equal to one fourth of its v/hole ' 

 population, or in 1802 - - - - 2,080,000 acres. 



And that in 1775, when the export ceased, the required growths ^^^ 

 was not more than _ _ _ - J 



making an increased growth necessary of - - 4^7^575 acres. 



If these calculations are well fnundt^d, as I suppose and believe they are, we need 

 no longer wonder at the loss of our export of corn ; or at a regular necessity for 

 importation, and occasionally (in unproductive seasons), of a great quantity o( this 

 article; more particularly when it is considered that the demand for the produce 

 of grass land has so increased as to occasion a large proportion of our most 

 fertile Jand to be converted to pasture, and that it pays better so applied than in 

 cultivation. 



As our population has the same tendency to increase as heretofore, and which 

 nothing in the natural course of things is likely to prevent, but the intervention of 

 some public calamity, as internal war, commotions, disease, or scarcity of provi- 

 sions ; and as the ratio of this increase has been ascertained to have been, in our 

 most flourishing state, the one hundred and twentieth part of the whole annually, 

 a necessity becomes evident, if this flourishing state of the nation is to continue, 

 of adding constandy and annually the same proportion to the national stock of pro- 

 visions, and this is not only in the article of grain, but in every other article of ne- 

 cessary subsistence, otherwise privations and scarcity become a matter of course; 

 but this I believe the territory of this island is capable of producing for a great 

 length of time. 



It has been above ascertained that the growth of wheat necessary to supply the 

 present demand, requires the annual growth of full two millions of acres; and lo 

 insure a sufficient supply, the growth should be gradually extended to two millions 



