S^86 Mr. William Pitt on the Production and 



and a half of acres. I estimate that at present the wheat crop, and fallows for wheat, 

 occupy an extent of three millions of acres. 



CHAPTER ill. 



Butcher's Meat, Cheese, Butter, Beverage, Vegetables, and Land necessary ta 

 supply the present Population, ard Modes of Living. 



Butcher's meat is the next most important article of subsistence, and the demand 

 for which throughout the kingdom has doubtless been greatly increasing. I calcu- 

 late that the individual consumption of bread, per head or per family, is not greater 

 now than it was half a century ago, but that the demand per family for butcher's 

 meat has increased, in consequence of increased luxury, the effect of increased 

 wealth, the consequence of extended commerce, increased manufactures, and im- 

 proved agriculture. 



To come in some degree at the national consumption, suppose each individual 

 to consume half a pound per day, including pork or bacon, which is no very great 

 allowance, and though I fear many are, from necessity, compelled to take up with 

 a smaller proportion, yet I suppose this to be balanced by the excess, superfluity, 

 and luxury of others; half a pound per dav is i8.iYlbs. per annum, which is more 

 than an acre ot average land will produce, either in beef or mutton, supposing the 

 stock bred, reared, and maintained on the land; and as a large proportion of the 

 land where stock is bred and reared is of an inferior quality, it is very probaole 

 that the rearing and feeding of live stock, for the supply of butcher's meat for eight 

 millions of people, will require one acre and a half to each individual, or twelve 

 millions of acres of land, of the quality of our inclosed pasture land, as a consider- 

 able proportion of land where stock is bred and reared is often of an inferior qua- 

 lity, though ihey are fatted up and finished upon the best land. 



Cheese, i lb. weight per week to each individual, and 500 lb. weight made from 

 a cow, consuming the produce of three acres, viz. two acres for pasture and one 

 for bay, would be nearly in the proportion of one cow, from three acres, supplying 

 ten persons, as I suppose children and some others may require less cheese if they 

 are allowed milk; I will suppose cheese and milk supplied as above, then those 



