Tke Winter of 1885-86. 
439 
Major Dashwood : 
" 14. The low price of corn and also of stock has made it very bad for any 
one connected with agricultural land." 
Mr. John Tread well : 
" 14. The better the land is farmed, the better the crops have withstood 
the weather. The consumption of meal instead of cake decreases the con- 
sumption of hay (there being more bulk) with our dairy cows ; but I doubt, 
upon the whole, whether it is much cheaper than cake." 
Mr. J. H. Arkwright : 
" 14. That all our produce is undersold by foreign production in the 
markets, and that it matters little if we grow good crops. We are very near 
the last pound on the camel's back. We observe that the men who have done 
best are those who, with some cajjital, have been able to keep their land in 
heart by employing labour, and not letting the land go back." 
Mr. James Greenaway : 
" 14. There is one great point of interest I have particularly noticed, which 
is, that where sheep have been liberally treated, and fed on cut straw and hay 
with a little malt-dust, or a small quantity of cake also given, that there has 
been a less percentage of loss during the lambing season, and a greater 
security against the loss which takes place when succulent food is given in 
spring." 
Prof. J. P. Sheldon : 
" 14. That the quality of the herbage on permanent grass land has im- 
proved considerably during the pnst two or three years, and that there are 
fewer ' screws ' among cattle, while, as to sheep, the liver-rot has disajipeared 
for the time being. Still it is true that the land will not carry as much stock 
as it formerly did, and poor land is recovering more slowly than land that 
has had help. The long frost of last winter has done good in lightening up 
the soil, and there is a prospect of improved crops of grass this year." 
Earl Powis : 
" 14. The violent and sudden chatjges of the weather which we have expe- 
rienced during all the past year have tended to retard the progress of feeding 
stock considerably, and has also been prejudicial to the health of both cattle 
and sheep. The heavy soaking rains and resultant floods have been very 
injurious to the sheep, causing a good deal of foot root ; probably a good deal 
of fluke may result on land subject to it." 
Conclusion. — The whole of the reports which have been 
received tend to show the great difficulties which attended the 
autumn, winter, and spring of 1885-86. That these difficulties 
were due to various causes is also apparent. The season inten- 
sified other causes, and brought them out into greater relief. The 
markets showed abnormally low prices — the result of the large 
importations of foreign corn, meat, and dairy produce ; the de- 
pression in the manufacturing centres ; and low freights. This 
had been the case for some time, and had combined with a series 
of bad seasons to make the tenant farmers of the country — and 
all, in fact, who had to do with land — short of capital. With 
