Variation in the Price and Siippli/ of TVlieat. 201 
as Uie ndvaiice of civilization anioua: tlic ])easants would probahly at the same 
time increase their wants, and the increase in the consumption of animal food 
that might ho cxiiected would necessitate a large increase in the consumptiou 
(if grain as food for the cattle dni'ing the winter months. 
The average price of wheat in Poland during the year was 42s. per quarter, 
taking the average rate of exchange for the year ; the price of rye during the 
same period averaging 24s. 
A very considerabh; advance has talcen jilace of late years iu the value of 
grain, and stock of all kinds, as may be seen bj' the following comparison 
of the present market value with former averages : — 
Price of Grain per Quarter. 
Present 
Average 
fur 30 Ye.nrs. 
Prico in 
Rate. 
1854-5. 
42s. 0(f. .. 
18.>.-. Od. 
52s. Qd. 
22 0 
SO 
24 0 
24 0 
12 0 
36 0 
10 0 
6 0 
20 0 
26 0 
12 0 
36 0 
22 0 
8 0 
24 0 
Wheat . . . . 
Barley 
Rye 
Oats 
Peas 
Buckwheat 
The price of potatoes is about Is. per bushel. 
Price of Animals jicr Head. 
In 1861. In 1333. 
A farm horse llZ. 8s. Od .... 5?. Os. 0.'. 
An ox 8 0 0 .... 3 10 0 
A peasant's cow 5 40 .... 280 
A pig 4 16 0 .... 2 0 0 
A sheep 0 16 0 .... 0 8 0 
The return of live stock in the kingdom, for 18G1, gives the following details 
of the numbers : — 
Horses .590,873 
(Oxen 558,38 + 
Horned cattle< Cows .. .. 1,251,993 
(Calves 527,511 
Sheep 3,722,676 
Pigs 927,511 
which gives the following projiortion of the live stock to the acreage of the 
kingdom, viz : — 
1 horse to 53 acres. 
1 head of horned cattle to 13v acres. 
1 sheep to %h acres. 
1 pig to 34 acres. 
There can be no doubt that this proportion of live slock is far too small for 
■Ml agricultural country ; and though it has been steadily on the increase 
for some years, many causes im]iede progress, the chief being the periodical 
visit of the cattle epidemic, " Peste Bovine," so destructive in its character. 
Another serious impediment to the })rogress so much to be desired is to be 
found in the very slight inducement oflered to breeders bj^ the small con- 
sinnptioa of, and consequently demand for, animal food throughout the 
country. 
It is worthy of remark that all the cattle in the kingdom is insured 
against the cattle epidemic, and that stringent measures are adopted by the 
Government to prevent this terrible scourge from spreading should it un- 
fortuviaielj- pa'^s the frontier. In fact, wherever tliis disease makes its 
appearance within the kingdom, the whole of the cattle in the immediate 
