338 Agricultural Returns of 1905. [sept., 



Cattle. 



IQOS. 





Increase or Decrease. 





Number. 



Number. 



| Number. 



Per Cent. 



Cows and Heifers in Milk 











or in Calf... 



2,707,392 



2,678,680 



+ 28,712 



+ IM 



Other Cattle (two years and 









above) 



MI5>3I7 | 



1,374,636 



+ 40,681 



+ 3-0 



Ditto (one year and under 











two) 



1,471,070 



1,429,833 



+ 41,237 



+ 2'9 



Ditto (under one year) 



1*393,241 



1,375,203 



+ 18,038 



+ i-3 



Total 



6,987,020 



1 



6,858,352 



+ 128,668 



+ i'9 



The total of sheep, for the first time since 1899, shews a 

 slight rise, and the number now is practically the same as in 1888. 

 The increase is greatest in sheep (other than breeding ewes) 

 under one year, but this is more than set off by the reduction in 

 the older sheep, the most satisfactory point to be noted being 

 the increase of ewes. 



Sheep. 



1905. 



1904. 



Increase or Decrease. 





Number. 



Number. 



Number. 



Per Cent. 



Ewes kept for Breeding ... 



9,935,766 



9,880,908 



+ 54,858 



+ o'6 



Other Sheep (one year and 











above) 



5,147,517 



5,313.602 



- 166,085 



- 3' 1 



Ditto (under one year) 



10,173,913 



10,012,668 



+ 161,245 



+ 1-6 



Total 



25,257,196 



25,207,178 



+ 50,018 



+ 0"2 



Swine, always a very variable number, shew a large decline, 

 viz., from 2,861,644 to 2,424,919 or 15*3 per cent. The total 

 has, however, frequently been lower, e.g., so recently as 1902, 

 and it is about equal to the average of the past thirty years. Of 

 the above total, sows kept for breeding numbered 335,008, 

 as compared with 382,056 in 1904, a decrease of 12-3 per cent. 



Corresponding details relating to Ireland have been published 

 by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for 

 Ireland, and the summary on p. 339 is given for comparison : — 



As in Great Britain, a large: area has been placed under wheat, 

 although the increase is not so striking, while oats and barley 

 have fallen away. Taking all cereal crops together, there is 

 a decline in Ireland of 8,039 acres. Green and other crops also 

 shew a decrease, as a whole cf 4,230 acres. The potato area 



