1920.] 



Acreage and Live Stock Returns. 



201 



and heath land, amounting to 550,000 acres, appears to have 

 been brought into use for rough grazing. This practically 

 counter-balanced the decrease in permanent pasture. 



It has been sometimes doubted whether the crops from 

 newly-broken land fully justified conversion of permanent 

 grass into arable. Fortunately, it can be shown that although 

 the yields of all the corn crops on the new arable were less 

 on the general average yield of corn crops in England and 

 Wales, they were not appreciably less, except perhaps in the 

 case of barley. As a whole, they compared very favourably 

 with the lo-year average. Potatoes were quite favourable, 

 but this crop was not largely grown on the newly-broken 

 land. When due allowance is made for the unfavourable 

 harvest conditions in September, 1918, the Returns appear 

 fully to justify the plough pohcy as a means of increasing the 

 Nation's food suppty. It is beyond question that the total 

 amount of food obtained from the new arable land saved the 

 importation of several hundred thousand tons of equivalents, 

 and thus set free a corresponding amount of shipping for 

 war service. 



As regards the question of SmaU Holdings, the Returns 

 show the following fluctuations. In 1903, the total number of 

 holdings was 433,000 ; in 1908 it had fallen to 430,000. In 

 that year, with the passing of the Sm^aU Holdings Act, the 

 movement gained ground, and by 1912 the number of 

 holdings had risen to 435,900. At this point development 

 ceased and, remaining almost stationary for 2 years, thereafter 

 declined rapidly, so that between 1913 and 1919 the loss 

 was no less than 19,000. The reasons for this remarkable 

 decline will be found partly in the absorption of smaU holdings 

 near towns for industrial purposes, but mainly, perhaps, in the 

 conversion into allotments of fields previously returned 

 separately. If the latter explanation of the dechne in the 

 number of holdings below 20 acres be correct it means that 

 while the number above one acre in extent has diminished, 

 the total area under cultivation has not in all probability 

 decreased. An apparently alarming feature may therefore, 

 on stricter examination, be viewed with equanimity. 



The position regarding live stock in 1919 was fairly favourable 

 for horses. Cows and other cattle were distinctly above pre- 

 war level. Sheep and pigs were both abnormally low. This 

 decline is mainly aitributable to the measures which had to 

 be taken to the control and ration the meat supplies. 



