Twenty Years' Agricultural Development. 183 



following summary, which shows the rate of growth of 

 population, of area under leading cereal crops and potatoes, 

 and of cattle, sheep, and swine in the last twenty years 

 (approximately) compared*: — ■ 











Increase. 







Twenty 



Present 











Years ago. 



Time. 













Amount. 



Per cent. 



Population - 



millions 



366 



462 



96 



26 



Area under wheat- 



million acres 



133 



158 



25 



19 



,, barley 





43 



45 



2 



5 



oats - 



5 ? 



81 



104 



23 



28 



» rye - 





105 



100 



5 dec. 



5 dec. 



,, potatoes - 



5 ? 



21 



27 



6 



29 



Cattle - 





154 



211 



57 



37 



Sheep - - - - 





405 



478 



73 



18 







80 



IOI 



21 



26 



It should be noted that the expression " present time " in 

 the summary refers to the year 1893, but for several countries 

 the necessary statistical data for that year could not be 

 obtained, and in such cases the nearest year prior to 1893 for 

 which information was available was taken. Similarly, the 

 term "twenty years ago" applies to the year 1873, but in 

 cases where the information was not forthcoming for that 

 year the figures for the nearest year to 1873 were adopted. 

 Allowance should therefore be made for these differences, and 

 the results shown in the summary should not be regarded as 

 more than an approximate indication of the changes that 

 have occurred. 



The effect of this comparison is, that while population has 

 increased 26 per cent., only one cereal crop — oats — has 

 increased in proportion, viz., 28 per cent. The increase in 

 wheat is 19 per cent, only, and in barley 5 per cent, only ; 

 while rye, which has hitherto been an important crop in 

 Europe, has diminished 5 per cent. It is Sir Robert Giffen's 

 view that the figures clearly suggest, speaking broadly, that 



* In this summary table the population and live stock of India are excluded, but 

 the acreage under cereals is included, as the growth has been largely for European 

 consumption, and the population of India generally does not consume the cereals here 

 enumerated, but other cereals. The acreage of potatoes is exclusive of the acreage in 

 Asia and South America, as no information was available for those regions as to this 

 crop. 



