1910.] Report on Produce of the Crops for 1909. 57 



corn, offals, and other feeding stuffs, although on the other 

 hand it was stated by some that the increased home demand 

 for pig products tempted pig-owners to slaughter more 

 rapidly, and thus to reduce the number at the time of the 

 enumeration. 



The number of pigs returned in June has always been 

 subject to very wide fluctuations from year to year. When 

 it is remembered that the number slaughtered during the 

 year considerably exceeds the number living at any par- 

 ticular date, it is evident that a yearly enumeration must be 

 a somewhat uncertain measure of the movements of the pig 

 population. An examination of the figures for a series of 

 years shows, however, that there is something like an oscilla- 

 tion, disturbed sometimes by exceptional circumstances, but 

 in the main fairly regular. During the past 20 years, for 

 instance, there have been six in which the total has exceeded 

 2§ millions, viz., in 1890, 1891, 1895, 1896, 1904, and 

 1908. Between 1896 and 1904 there is an apparent gap, but 

 in 1899 the total, though not reaching what may be termed 

 the proper level, was as high as 2,624,000. In the intervals 

 between these five periods the numbers have fallen either 

 below 2\ millions or within 100,000 of that figure, while on 

 two occasions, viz., in 1892 and 1893, the total little exceeded 

 2,100,000. With the large number, nearly approaching a 

 maximum, returned in 1908, it was not inconsistent with 

 previous experience that the following year should show a 

 considerable falling off. It must, however, be admitted that 

 the decline in the number of breeding sows by 53,000 in a 

 single year seems disquieting, though in this case again it is 

 reassuring to remember that almost as great a reduction was 

 recorded in 1905. 



Part II. of the Agricultural Statistics, containing the final 



Returns of Produce of Crops in Great Britain, has also been 



published [Cd. 5,095, price 4^.]. The 



Report on the re port which precedes the tables gives a 

 Produce of Crops 1 r f 



for 1909. short account of the weather of 1909, 



and particulars of the duration of the 



harvest and the weight of grain per bushel. 



