56 Acreage and Live Stock Returns of 1909. [april, 



years of cows and heifers in milk or in calf. The number 

 in 1909 reached 2,794,176, or 30,396 more than in the pre- 

 ceding year. Practically the whole increase occurred in 

 England, the midland counties showing the greatest pro- 

 gress, while in Wales and Scotland there was comparatively 

 little change. So long as the home producer retains his 

 present monopoly of the supply of fresh milk to the com- 

 munity, it appears evident that the cow stock of the country 

 must be augmented to meet the annually increasing demand. 

 There is no doubt a constant tendency, as facilities for the 

 rapid transport of milk are extended, to reduce the manu- 

 facture of cheese and butter, but there are obvious limits, 

 which may indeed soon be reached, to the possibility of 

 increasing the milk supply by this means, and the further 

 growth of the milking herd would appear to be necessary to 

 keep pace with the requirements of the people. 



The total number of sheep returned was 27,618,419, being 

 the highest recorded since 1892, and nearly half a million 

 more than in 1908. During the past five years the flocks of 

 the country have increased by about 2J millions, an addition 

 almost as great and as rapid as that which occurred at the 

 beginning of the " 'nineties." The low price of mutton 

 throughout the greater part of the year indicated that home 

 supplies had temporarily exceeded demand, but this position 

 may be expected to readjust itself before long. The number 

 of lambs returned was comparatively small in proportion to 

 the number of ewes, so that a smaller increase, if not an 

 actual reduction, in the total number of sheep will probably 

 be revealed at the next enumeration. The price of mutton 

 is influenced by many causes, among which, at any particular 

 period, the abundance or scarcity of "keep" is one of the 

 most important, but there seems no reason at present to 

 suggest that the effect on the markets of the larger number 

 of sheep was more than temporary, or that the flocks of the 

 country are more than sufficient to keep pace with the demand 

 of the increasing population for home-bred mutton. 



The number of pigs returned in 1909 was 2,380,887, as 

 compared with 2,823,482 in 1908, showing a decline of 

 442,595, or 157 per cent. The decrease was generally attri- 

 buted by the collecting officers to the enhanced prices of 



