638 



AGRICUIiTUEAL STATISTIC S . 



[Oct. 



with an appearance of precision which the data available ta 

 him would scarcely warrant. We have no means of testing the 

 accuracy of these estimates, but it may be said that in the light 

 of present information they are at least plausible. The need 

 for accurate statistical information was generally felt, and 

 various attempts were made by private enterprise to supply it. 



In 1831, the magistrates of Norfolk attempted, with a fair 

 amount' of success, to collect agricultural statistics for their 

 own county from farmers. An attempt a little later by the 

 Board of Trade to collect statistics in Bedfordshire — as an 

 experiment — failed. Whether the different result was due to 

 suspicion of Government interference , or to the fact that the 

 Board of Trade enlisted the co-operation of the clergy as col- 

 lectors of statistics, need not be discussed. 



In 1845, further local attempts were made in England, 

 Scotland and Ireland, respectively. In Scotland and Ireland 

 they were -successful, but in England they failed. In Ireland, 

 this attempt formed the starting-point for the establishment of 

 a national system of agricultural statistics, the necessity for 

 which had been forcibly demonstrated by a disastrous famine. 



In 1849, the East Berwickshire Farmers' Club made an 

 agricultural census of that county, and four years later the 

 Highland and Agricultural Society made a similar effort in 

 three counties. In 1854, the Society undertook on behalf of 

 the Grovernment, and with a grant from public funds, to col- 

 lect statistics of acreage and produce for the whole of Scotland. 

 This was repeated in the three following years, when owing to 

 difficulties with the Treasury the scheme was discontinued. 



Official Statistics. — In 1864, Sir James Caird carried against 

 the Government of the day, a resolution in the House of 

 Commons in favour of the collection of official agricultural 

 statistics, and two years later the Board of Trade started the 

 returns of acreage and live stock which have been since con- 

 tinued. Twenty years later — in 1885 — annual estimates of the 

 produce of certain crops were instituted. When the Board of 

 Agriculture was established in 1889, the collection of agricul- 

 tural statistics was transferred to it, and came under the charge 

 of Major Craigie. Under his direction the system was 

 gradually improved and extended, and after he left the public 

 service the tradition which he established led to further develop- 

 ments, so that it may fairly be claimed that we now have in 

 this country a system of agricultural statistics which, if not yet 

 as complete as many of us would wish, is within its limits 



