1<)1>1.] 



Estimates of Acreage t'nder Ckoi'S. 



•IBB 



In fact, it would seem to follow that there is no necessary 

 connection between the richness of the food consumed by farm 

 stock and the value of the resulting dung as a fertiliser after 

 storage for several months in the manner usually practised, t/r<k'oi) 

 an adequate quantity of straw Jias been supplied as litter. Th.it 

 is to say, the more or richer the food used, the greater must be 

 the amount of straw used as litter, otherwise the increased 

 fei'tilising value of the excrement is likely to be lost. If further 

 investigation confirms this view, existing practice relatmi^ to 

 farm valuations may have to be modified. 



Next, the discoveries made by Messrs. Hutchinson and 

 Kichards point to a method whereby the ever-inci'easing shoitage 

 of farmyard manure may possibly be met. They have shown 

 how it is possible to produce from straw a material which has 

 the appearance and most of the properties of the natural pro- 

 duct. Their investigations render the process an orderly one ; 

 the quantities of the various materials to be used, and the con- 

 ditions under which successful results will be obtained, are laid 

 down precisely. 



****** 



The preliminciry statement of Acreage under Ci'ops and Niiui- 

 bor of Live Stock in England and Wales \vas issued on the ^^th 

 Preliminary ^^^^'^^^^^ I'^st and is printed on p. 572 of this 

 Estimates of ^^s^^^- 



. ' The prehminary tabulation of th'- A^ii- 



Acreage under ,^ ^ n , i ^ 



Cro s and •^^"'^Itural Returns collected on the -1th June. 



NumbTr^ 01^.176 ^'^^^V'^^^ of agricultural holdings of 



Stock ^^^^ '^'^^^^ England and Wales shows 



that the total area under all ci'ops and g/a^s 

 is -i'i.lHD.OOO acres, a decrease since last year of B()8.000 acres. 

 On the other hand, the area of rough grazings (which comprises 

 mountain, heath, moor, dovNii and other rough iand used for 

 grazing) is now 4,555,000 acres, or 893,000 acres more than i^t 

 the same date in 1920. Of the " farmed " area of 26.139,000 

 acres, arable land accounts for 11.618,000 acres and permanent 

 grass for 14,521,000 acres. 



The outstanding feature of tlu^ ivtui'iis is a uiarkod dtclint^ in 

 the area of arabh^ land, which, however, still remains the laigest 

 since 1905. excluding the years 191R-20 when the ploughed aiea 

 was greatly increased as a result of tlw' food production campaign. 

 The majority (^f the crops contributtMl to the dt'cliut^ in the arable 

 ai(^a, a noteworthy (Exception being wheat, the i\n\\ of whiv h 

 shows a substantial increase. There are satisfactory i;icroa^-^s in 

 the cnse of each class of bn^eding stock (cows, heifers, ewes, 



A 2 



