40 RUKAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



is two millions of head, giving a total of five hundred 

 million kilogrammes of meat, at the average of two hun- 

 dred and fifty kilos. " r 



Thus with eight million head of cattle, and thirty 

 million hectares, British agriculture produces five hun- 

 dred million kilos of beef ; whilst France, with ten 

 million head, and fifty-three million hectares, produces 

 in all only four hundred million. 



This new disproportion is perfectly explained, inde- 

 pendently of the difference in race, by the difference in 

 age of the animals slaughtered. The French cattle are 

 slaughtered either too soon or too late : the paramount 

 necessity for maintaining cattle intended for labour obliges 

 us to kill a great number of calves at that age when 

 growth is most rapid. In our four millions of head 

 figure two and a half millions of calves, which, on an 

 average, give not more than thirty kilos of meat ; those 

 that survive are not slaughtered until an age when growth 

 has long ceased that is to say, after the animal has for 

 several years continued to consume food which has not 

 served to increase its weight. The English, on the con- 



* It has long been matter of regret that hitherto in this country we have had 

 no means of correctly ascertaining the number and value of the stock of cattle in 

 Great Britain ; far less can an accurate estimate be made of the proportion 

 annually slaughtered, or of the income thus derived. M. Lavergne has, with his 

 wonted care, adopted, in the number above set down, those which exhibit a fair 

 average of the estimates of our best authorities. The inquiry so long desired, 

 and now set on foot by the Government, will, we have reason to believe, this 

 year furnish with great precision the gross numbers of live stock of all ages and 

 descriptions maintained in the country ; but that the returns should be of real use, 

 it is further requisite that some discrimination should be made as to age and variety 

 of breed, and that we be made acquainted with the proportion annually disposed of 

 for the shambles. The machinery at present in use we have no doubt would easily 

 effect this, and we trust to see it attempted in another year. Until this additional 

 information is obtained, there will exist nearly the same difficulty in securing a 

 correct estimate of the value of the chief source of our agricultural wealth. In 

 proof that there is some reason to suppose this has hitherto been much underrated, 

 we think it may not be uninteresting to refer to the following facts lately educed 

 in relation to this matter, upon which some dependence may be placed. From 



