186 
Variation in the Price and Supply of Wheat. 
of this country ; but by comparing tbe estimates of tlie best 
authorities with the increase in importations and in population 
we obtain considerable insight, and can safely infer that the 
public diet improves and requires a continual increase in the 
supply of animal food, and that English farming is not now 
progressing, in the direction of meeting the demand, so fast as 
could be desired. 
We shall trouble the reader with as few figures as possible. 
The following statistics will, perhaps, be sufficient for reference. 
Acreage and Estimated Production of Graix of the United Kingdom, 
according to the Agkicultubal Eeturns in 1867.* 
Kinds of Grain. 
Acres. 
Production per 
Acre, after 
deducting for 
Seed. 
Total 
produce in Quarters. 
Wheat 
3,640,925 
BusheU. 
26 
11,833,006 
2,439,947 
30 
9,149,801 
4,482,61G 
32 
17,930,464 
868,452 
26 
2,822,469 
Total 
41,735,740 
In Scotland and Ireland there has been a considerable change 
in the proportions of arable and pasture in the last ten years. 
The area in wheat in 1857 was respectively 243,240 acres and 
544,348 acres : it is now 110,609 acres and 280,549 acres. 
This represents a reduction of about 1,200,000 quarters, or an 
eighth of the available growth of the United Kingdom. The area 
of oats and barley in Scotland has slightly increased. In Ireland 
the two million acres of oats have been reduced by 329,632 
acres. Potatoes, now one million acres, have fallen off 100,000 
acres. In England there has been a similar but less startling 
conversion of arable into pasture, which cannot be ascertained 
for want of statistics. 
Impoktatiox of Foreign Corn into the United Kingdom. 
The average yearly importation for the seven years ending 
with 1852 : — 
* As these Returns are only reproduced here for the purpose of general com- 
parison, it is not considered necessary to replace them by those of last year. 
