The Rothamsted Wheat Experiments. 



to be noticed that during the thirty-two years 1852-3 to 

 1883-4 inclusive, the area under wheat in the United Kingdom 

 was reduced by about one-third. The average yield per acre 

 is estimated at 28 bushels ; but, owing to recent bad seasons, 

 the average for the whole period of thirty-two years was only 

 27 bushels, that for the first sixteen years having been 28 j, 

 but that for the second sixteen years only 25|. Thus there 

 has been a reduction not only in area under cultivation, but 

 in yield per acre also. This latter, however, is probably tempo- 

 rary, whilst the reduction in area will doubtless continue. 

 The great increase of population which has ta.ken place within 

 the period covered by the table has, of course, necessitated 

 greatly increased consumption, and the comparison of the 

 home production with the foreign importation, for succes- 

 sive periods, becomes of much interest. An inspection of 

 the table will show that over the first eight years only one- 

 fourth of the wheat consumed was obtained from foreign 

 sources, whilst over the last eight years nearly two-thirds 

 (15,781,483qrs.) of the entire consumption (24,536,234qrs.) 

 was imported. It is probable that the home produce will 

 still decline, consequent chiefly on reduction of area under 

 cultivation ; whilst, with increase of population, imports must 

 increase. It may be seen that the total consumption of 

 wheat per annum has increased from an average of about 

 eighteen million quarters over the first eight years to upwards 

 of twenty-four million quarters over the last eight of the 

 thirty-two years an increase of one-third. And whereas the 

 average consumption per head per annum was under 5'1 

 bushels over the first eight years, it amounted to nearly 5'7 

 bushels over the last eight years. 



Discussing this subject so recently as February, 1887, Sir 

 John Lawes and Dr. Gilbert say : "In conclusion, we would 

 remark that whilst 30 bushels per acre per annum is frequently 

 assumed to be the average yield of the United Kingdom, our 

 own estimate was, until recent years, 28 J bushels ; but the 

 series of bad seasons has reduced the average, over the 



