AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. 321 



of Agriculture for July 1850) were forms of schedules for 

 collecting the desired information, such as the extent and 

 distribution of land in acres, produce, live stock, &c. The 

 year following, the Society again moved in the matter, and 

 in 1852, Mr Labouchere called on the Directors to prepare 

 a statement of the manner in which the Society would 

 recommend Government to proceed. Owing to the change 

 of ministry, this statement fell to be considered by Mr 

 Henley, who succeeded Mr Labouchere. It was favourably 

 regarded by him, and the Society was asked to estimate 

 the cost of an experimental trial in three counties ; but the 

 dissolution of Lord Derby's Government again interfered 

 with progress, and the matter fell into the hands of Mr 

 Cardwell. That gentleman at once sanctioned, at Govern- 

 ment expense, a preliminary inquiry in 1853 in the counties 

 of Roxburgh, Haddington, and Sutherland. The assist- 

 ance of the Society having been requested to carry it out, 

 the Directors were induced to undertake the charge of the 

 experimental trial. The inquiry having been successfully 

 conducted, it was extended during the four succeeding 

 years over the whole of Scotland. Each county was 

 divided into a certain number of districts. In each district 

 there was a special correspondent, or enumerator, and a 

 committee composed of a representative from each parish 

 in the district. The number altogether on the statistical 

 .staff was about 1000, all farmers. 



In the last year (1857) a difficulty arose with the Audit 

 Office, when, after a good deal of correspondence, the ar- 

 rangement by which the information was obtained through 

 the Society was abandoned. In addition to detailed 

 statements and vouchers, Mr Hall Maxwell was required 

 to assign authority for the employment and payment of 

 enumerators and clerks, and for every other arrangement. 

 For instance, if an additional clerk was employed for a 

 month, receipts by him for his weekly salary were insuffi- 

 cient. Government must authorise his employment and 

 the rate at which he was to be paid. In the same manner, 

 payments to enumerators were disallowed, and their receipts 

 disregarded, because Government had not been consulted 



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