338 Agricultural Returns of 1904. [sept., 



AGRICULTURAL RETURNS OF 1904. 



The preliminary statement giving the summaries of the results 

 of the Agricultural Returns for 1904 in Great Britain, compiled 

 from the schedules returned by occupiers of land and owners of 

 live stock, was issued by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 on August 26th. Information embodying similar particulars 

 has been published by the Department of Agriculture and 

 Technical Instruction for Ireland, for which country figures are 

 accordingly given, along with the details for Great Britain, in the 

 following tables. 



The total area shewn as under crops and grass in Great Britain 

 in 1904 was 32,323,176 acres, as compared with 32,343,579 acres 

 in 1903. In Ireland the corresponding acreage also fell off, viz., 

 from 15,242,421 to 15,224,816 acres. The broad changes may 

 be shewn in the following summaries of the distribution of the 

 crops in each year : — 



Crop. 



Great Britain. 



Ireland, 



1904. 



1903. 



1904. 



1903. 



Cereal Crops 

 Other Crops... 



Clover and Rotation Grass 

 Bare Fallow... 

 Permanent Grass ... 



Total 



Acres. 

 6,953,051 

 3,162,365 

 4,671,269 

 432,690 

 17,103,801 



Acres. 

 7,060,543 

 3,189,589 

 4,807,826 

 351,126 

 16,934495 



Acres. 

 1,279,143 

 1,094,576 

 1,279,988 

 10,388 

 11,560,721 



Acres. 



L3o6,345 

 1,104,468 

 1,236,035 

 9,722 

 11,585,851 



32,3?3>579 



32,343,579 



15,224,816 



15,242,421 



The decline in the area under cereal crops in Great Britain 

 is thus 107,492 acres, in that of other crops 27,224 acres, 

 and in clover and rotation grasses 136,557 acres ; while, on the 

 other hand, permanent grass has again increased. The increase 

 •of 81,564 acres, or 23 per cent., under bare fallow, which may 

 probably be ascribed to the unfavourable conditions of the 

 autumn of 1903, brings the acreage thus left uncropped to 

 practically the same figure as in 1896. Ireland, likewise, shews 

 decreases in cereal and other crops, but an increase of 43,953 

 acres in clover and rotation grasses and a decrease of 25,130 

 acres in permanent pasture. 



