1909.] Operation of Small Holdings Act. 575 



than in any year since the returns were first collected, with 

 the exception of 1868, when it was just over 11,000,000. 



Cattle. 



1909. 



1908. 



Increase or 



Decrease. 





Number. 



Number. 



Number. 



Per cent. 



Cows and heifers — ■ 











In milk. 



2,232,218 



2,197,763 



+ 34,455 



+ 1-6 



In calf but not in milk... 



561,958 



566,017 



- 4,059 



-07 



Other cattle 











Two years and above ... 



1,317,215 



1, 37 1 : 688 



- 54,473 



-4'o 



One year and under two 



I,473,9i8 



1,415,483 



+ 58,435 



+ 4'i 



Under one year 



',435,673 



1,354,183 



+ 81,490 



+ 6-o 



Total 



7,020,982 



6,905,134 



+ 115,848 



+ 17 



Pigs show a considerable decline of over 442,000, or nearly 

 16 per cent., the decline in breeding sows being 53,000, or 

 over 14 per cent., and in other pigs 390,000, or 16 per cent. 



Sheep. 



1909. 



1908. 



Increase or 



Decrease. 





Number. 



Number. 



Number. 



Per cent. 



Ewes kept for breeding... 



10,810,476 



10,569,089 



+ 241,387 



+ 2-3 



Other sheep — 











One year and above ... 



5,860,907 



5*632,767 



! +228,140 



+ 4'i 



Under one year 



10,947,036 



10,917,874 



+ 29,l62 



+ 0-3 



Total ... 



27,618,419 



27,119,730 



+ 498,689 



+ i-8 



The Report on the proceedings of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture and Fisheries under the Acts relating to Small Holdings 

 and Allotments, Universities and 

 The Operation of the College Estates, Glebe Lands, Im- 

 Small Holdings Act provement of Land, and certain other 

 during 1908. Acts, is being issued in two parts. 



Part I. [Cd. 4846, price 8d.], which 

 has just been published, contains the Report of the Small 

 Holdings Commissioners (Mr. E. J. Cheney and Mr. M. T. 

 Baines) on the administration of the Small Holdings Act 

 during 1908. 



Stated shortly, the result of the first year's work since the 

 Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907, came into opera- 

 tion, has been that 23,285 applications have been received by 



