The lowest estimate of the stock of cattle in 

 England, which I have ever met with, gives three 

 times this number of horses, and more than four times 

 the number of cows and sheep, to the same extent of 

 land ; and most of those who have calculated on the 

 subject, have carried the proportion of cattle to sur- 

 face in England, much higher. I had reason to be- 

 lieve, though not from official sources, that the num- 

 ber of sheep, between 1819 and 1824, had increased 

 at the rate of from 20 to 25 per cent., and that the 

 proportion of fine-wooled sheep, to those of coarse 

 wool, had been augmented beyond that proportion. 



From this deficient stock of the animals, from 

 which manure is derived, it will naturally be inferred, 

 that the increase of Grain must be very small. I 

 was satisfied, from my own observations, and it was 

 confirmed by the opinion of intelligent natives, that 

 much of the land in cultivation could not yield on 

 the average more than three times as much Corn as 

 the seed that had been sown. 



The calculations made by the most intelligent 

 statistical inquirers, and the most observing culti- 

 vators, have not estimated the Average Increase of 

 the four kinds of Grain, viz. Wheat, Rye, Barley, 

 and Oats, taken together, to be more than four times 

 the seed. 



The general Course of Cultivation is to fallow 

 every third year, by ploughing three times, when 

 designed for Rye, or five times if intended for Wheat, 

 and allowing the land to rest without any crop 

 during the whole of the year, from one Autumn to 

 the next. Most of the land is deemed to be unfit 

 for the growth of Wheat, under any circumstances. 

 Where it is deemed adapted to that Grain, as much 

 as can be manured, from their scanty supply of that 

 article, is sown with Wheat, and the remainder of 

 the fallow ground with Rye. The portion which is 

 destined for Wheat, even in the best farms, is thus 



