200 Variation in the Price and Supply of Wheat. 
to tlie cuUivatiou of lyc, where, under a better system of farming, the produc- 
tion of wheat miglit be both possible and profitabk'. 
The length and severity of the winter, and the coldness and frequent dryness 
of the spring, arc serious drawbacks to the operations of the farmer, who will 
now also have to contend with a new difficulty cairsed hj the abolition of the 
corvde (forced labi)ur), viz., the increased difSculty of procuring labour for farm 
services. 
An idea of this may be gathered from the following summary of the amount 
and distribution of land hitherto held by the peasants, under the corvee system 
of tenure, on private estates : — 
The total area of land so held may bo stated to have been about 2,558,000 
English acres. 
These 2,558,000 acres are distributed in 124,840 dilTerent lots. 
The piopulation of these holdings amounts to about 750,000 souls, and it 
may be supposed that the cultivation of these lots will occupy the greater 
portion of the time and labour of the holder, and thus prevent them hiring 
themselves out as farm servants. 
The Agricultural Society of the Kingdom, during its existence, endeavoured 
to instil into the minds of the lower orders the advantages to be obtained b}^ 
them from an improved .system of farming by the circulation of useful informa- 
tion in a popular form ; and that the wants of the country were understood by 
its leading members may be gathered from the following extract from the 
report of one of them :— 
" The backward state of our agriculture is to he attributed chiefly to the want 
of a proper proportion between the production of grain and that of pasture, and 
is caused by our neglect of proper breeding and feeding of live stock ; that 
foundation of good farming. 1 do not consider that the introduction of a system 
of a succession of crops is of itself sufficient to enable us to resume our place as 
a productive country ; the mere subdivision of the cultivated soil when it is 
exhausted (however rational), cannot olitain that object unless it is accompanied 
by other improvements, and especially by much more attention being given to 
the meadows, and a considerable increase being made in the proportion of 
animal food." 
The export returns of the kingdom for the year 1800 show that rather less 
than a million quarters of grain were exported during the year : and taking 
the figures previonslj' (juoted, and a return by th(! same authority of the 
([uantities of grain required for the home consumption as a basis, it would 
appear that the amount for exportation in the country could not have exceeded 
in any important quantity the auiount actually exported. 
Qimrteia. 
The total grain crop being estimated at 11,400,000 
If we deduct required for seed 2,400,000 
, , for home consumption at one) , „„„ 
quarter per head j 
food for live stock .3,000,000 
, , used in distilleries 200 , 000 
Total 10,400,000 
10,400,000 
Surplus 1,000,000 
W(! liavc, as a surplus of the year, one million quarters of grain of all 
descriptions. 
There can be little doubt that the production of grain may be very con- 
sider.ablj' incrensed by the introduction of an improved system of farming; but 
it is doubtful whether any very large increase to the export can be obtained, 
