954 



Agricultural Returns, 1921. 



[Jan., 



which were sown early and promised fairly satisfactory yields were severely 

 attacked by mildew, and the roots are consequently of little use. The 

 estimates of the turnip and swede crop are, therefore, much less reliable than 

 usual. The yield per acre is estimated at 7*4 tons, which is 5 tons under 

 average, and the smallest yield on record. Crops are very light in the 

 eastern, south-eastern, and midland .counties, but in the south-west, in the 

 north, and in Wales yields are not so bad, though still well under average. 

 The only counties in which the yields are better than usual are Cumberland 

 and Westmorland, where 18 tons and 17 tons respectively have been obtained. 

 The total production is estimated at 6,600,000 tons, which is 7,600,000 tons 

 less than last year, and 5,700,000 tons below the average of the 10 years. 



Mangolds did better than turnips and swedes, but these were checked in 

 growth by the drought, and the roots are generally smaller than usual. Early 

 sown crops were a fairly satisfactory plant, but the later sown germinated 

 unevenly and were generally thin and patchy. The total production is 

 estimated at 6,280,000 tons, or about 1,000,000 tons less than in 1920, but 

 only 10,000 tons less than in 1919. The yield per acre— 16*8 tons — is nearly 

 2 tons below average, but nearly a ton greater than in 1919. Yields were 

 very light in the eastern and south-eastern counties, but most of the northern 

 counties obtained crops which were rather better than usual, while in the 

 midlands yields were only about 1 ton per acre below average. 



The very small quantity of roots grown,* combined with the very light 

 hay crops, makes the outlook for the winter feeding of stock Tar from 

 promising, though the position is more favourable in the north and west 

 (including Wales) than in other parts of the country. 



****** 



Poot-and-Mouth-Disease. — Kent : The existence of Foot-and- 

 Mouth Disease on premises at Under River, near Sevenoaks, was confirmed 

 on 24th November in seventeen heifers. These animals together with 109 

 breeding ewes, with which they had been pastured, were slaughtered. This 

 outbreak followed an interval of three-and-a-half months during which 

 Great Britain had been free from the disease. There has been no further 

 development either in Kent or any other part of Great Britain. 



The usual restrictions were imposed on 24th November over an area of 

 15 miles radius from the infected premises, but the satisfactory position has 

 permitted a considerable modification of these restrictions. It is anticipated 

 that the remaining general restrictions will be entirely withdrawn by the end 

 of 1921, if the present position is unchanged. 



Leaflets issued by the Ministry.— Since the date of the list 

 given on page 857 of the December issue of the Journal, the following leaflets- 

 have been revised : — 



No. 111. — Co-operative Selling of Eggs. 

 „ 249.— "Couch" or "Twitch." 

 „ 331.— The Canning of Fruit and Vegetables. 

 ,, 344. — Compound Manures. 

 Withdrawn leaflets reissued : — 

 F.p. 41.— The Making of Fruit Pulp, now Leaflet 380. 



* See this Journal for November, 1921, p. 725. 



