1 7 8 



Agricultural Returns of 1903. 



The area devoted to turnips and swedes in Great Britain was 

 only 5,431 acres less than in 1902, a very trifling percentage on 

 the 1,603,301 acres returned ; but it marks a continuance of the 

 persistent decline which has characterised this crop since 1893. 

 Prior to 1887 it occupied annually at least two million acres, 

 so that the diminution from the maximum amounts to about 

 400,000 acres. The area sown with mangold in the current 

 year was only 401,627 acres. 



Turning to the less important crops it may be noted that the 

 loss of 27,184 acres devoted to the cultivation of vetches and 

 tares represented a decline of 15*8 percent., while cabbage, rape, 

 and kohl-rabi each show a decrease, which, in the case of the 

 latter crop, was equal to nearly one-fifth of its total area in 1902. 

 The steadily-growing popularity of lucerne as a fodder crop in 

 Great Britain is shown by the addition of 6,682 acres to the area 

 devoted to its cultivation. 



The particulars shown in the table below indicate an extension 

 in the area of clover and rotation grasses kept for hay, 2,412,445 





Great Britain. 



Ireland. 



1903. 



1902. 



1903. 



1902. 



Clover and Rota- ( For Hay ... 

 tion Grasses ( Not for Hay 



Acres. 

 2,412,445 

 2,395^81 



Acres. 

 2,364,302 

 2,467,596 



Acres. 



627,202 



608,486 



Acres. 



603,468 



624,463 



Total 



4,807,826 



4,831,898 



4,58o,7l9 

 12,225,789 



1,235,688 



1,227,931 



TJ . r> ( For Hay ... 

 .Permanent Grass -J AT _ £ ' t r 



( Not for Hay 



4,754,960 

 12,179,436 



1,596,728 

 9,99o,745 



1,564,996 

 10,010,961 



Total 



16,934,396 



16,806,508 



11,587.473 



",575,957 



acres being thus appropriated, or a higher figure than in any 

 year since 1889. The area of these rotation grasses not 

 kept for hay in 1903 reached a total of 2,395,381 acres, or 

 72,215 acres less than last year, and the smallest recorded since 

 1894. The figures for permanent pasture exhibit a similar 

 tendency, the area devoted to hay in Great Britain being this 

 year 4,754,960 acres, or no less than 174,241 acres more than in 



* 



