344 Agricultural Returns of 1907. [sept.,. 



winter of the diseased leaves hanging on the trees over the 

 whole of the affected district. The Government followed his 

 advice and dealt with the matter energetically. Government 

 notices were posted over the whole district enforcing the com- 

 pulsory picking off and burning of the dead leaves before 

 February. These measures at first met with much opposition 

 due to the ignorance of the fruit growers. Through the 

 employment by the Government of competent scientific men, 

 however, confidence in the method was soon obtained from 

 the growers, who finally gave hearty support in carrying out 

 the work rigorously. The measures were put in force for two 

 successive years, and proved entirely successful ; in the third 

 season all the cherry orchards — for the first time for eight years 

 — stood healthy again and completely restored to their former 

 productiveness. 



It must be pointed out, however, that certain special condi- 

 tions (e.g., the overcrowding of the trees and the presence of 

 numerous open ditches near the orchards) which obtain in the 

 district in Prussia where the epidemic above mentioned 

 occurred, doubtless render the disease more dangerous there 

 than it is in this country. 



AGRICULTURAL RETURNS OF 1907. 

 The preliminary statement of the acreage and live stock 

 returns issued by the Board on the 26th Aug. last shows that 

 the total acreage under crops and grass in Great Britain 

 amounted to 32,244,110 acres in 1907, this figure representing 

 a decline of 22,645 acres from the area so returned in 1906. 

 The changes in the extent of arable and pasture land respec- 

 tively, and in the chief categories of- crops, may be summarised 

 as follows : — 



Crops. 



1907. 



1906. 1 



Increase or Decrease. 



Cereal Crops ... 



Other Crops ... 



Clover and Rotation Grasses 



Bare Fallow ... 



Acres. 

 6,997,700 

 3,215,702 

 4,491,028 



261,437 



Acres. 

 7,057,538 

 3,209,200 



4,440,746 ! 

 314,537 



Acres 



- 59,838 

 4- 6,502 

 + 50,282 



- 53,ioo 



Per cent. 



- o-8 



+ 0'2 

 + I - I 



- i6 - 9 



Total Arable... 

 Permanent Pasture ... 



14,965,867 

 17,278,243 



15,022,021 

 17,244,734 



- 56,154 

 + 33,509 



- 0-4 



+ 0"2 



Total 



32,244,110 



32,266,755 



- 22,645 



- o-i 



