PEEMANENT AND TEMPOEAEY PASTUEES. 



In 1871 

 ]872 

 1873 

 1874 

 1875 

 1876 

 .1877 

 1878 

 1879 

 1880 



216,438 acres 

 178,278 

 243,698 

 225,447 



51,658 ' 

 192,801 

 136,116 



74,802 

 119,666 

 151,629 



Clover, Sainfoin, and Grasses returned under rotation crops 

 for Great Britain augment the totals of grass by 4,504,884 acres 

 in 1870, and by 4,808,819 acres in 1890. 



Concurrently with this enormous extension of permanent 

 pastures and grass under rotation, there has been a decline in 

 wheat of no less than 1,114,207 acres. 



When the wet summers persistently followed each other, 

 the opinion was freely expressed that farmers were suffering 

 principally from the excessive rainfall, and that immediately hot 

 summers 'returned those who had hastily laid down their land 

 would be equally hasty in ploughing it up again. But in the 

 South of England we have had hot seasons, accompanied with 

 drought sufficient to turn pastures brown and to prevent the 

 growth of much aftermath, yet no one thinks of ploughing the 

 sod. On the contrary, it is considered fortunate that part of 

 the land is not subject to the heavy outgoings for labour which 

 render arable cultivation so unprofitable. 



Many causes have combined to necessitate the conversion of 

 arable land into meadow and pasture. Chief among these in- 

 fluences have been the low price of corn, the reduced capital of 

 agriculturists, and the increased cost of labour, and these forces 

 still prevail. 



However reluctant we may be to accept the condition as per- 

 manent, the fact is indisputable that foreign wheat can at present 

 be profitably delivered in this country at a lower price than it 

 can be grown here. Formerly the sale of corn was regarded as- 



1 The increase for 1886 is understated ) see pages 13 and 14 of Agricultural Returns ' 

 for 1886. 



