Pilxctical Agriculture. 
Aid = 207 
rence to the last column of the Table, the average price rose 
•1 45s. lid. in 1869-70 to 53s. M. in 1870-71, 55s. M. in 
1-72, 57s. Id. in 1872-73, and 61s. 3r/. in 1873-74, and this 
pite of a great importation both in 1872-73 and in 1873-74. 
he surplus of that year's enormous supply (stored up in our 
laries and mills under our free commercial system, which 
OSes no customs duty on imported food) was not so much 
-',000,000 to 3,000,000 quarters, because the drop in price 
1 61s. Zd. down to 46s. 4c?., w^hich was the average for the 
yv 1874-75, induced not only an augmented consumption of 
I -ad, but a very large appropriation of wheat for feeding 
a;mals. Taking these points into consideration, it does not 
apear probable that more than 1,500,000 quarters remained over 
f m the supply of that year toward the consumption of 1875—76. 
The home growth for 1875-76, I estimated at only 9,124,000 
( irters available for consumption. Unfortunately, the harvest 
} Ided not only a wretched quantity per acre, but a quality so 
sierally inferior that we had a much larger proportion of tail 
( n than usual ; intimating that, in the absence of a handsome 
13 in price, an exceptionally great quantity of inferior wheat 
\s ground for feeding animals. 
An importation far greater than even the immense arrivals 
< 1874—75 was required ; and it came to the extent of about 
'40,000 quarters, when the exports were deducted, though 
price kept down at about 46s. per quarter. Nevertheless, in 
; te of this, the total supply barely reached the average quantity ; 
1 little surplus can have remained over toward the supply of 
year 1876—77. Then, a harvest in 1876, somewhat below 
iverage, left another vast importation a necessity ; but it did 
loUow that, because an average price of 46s. 3f/. had been 
sficient to attract to our shores the unprecedented imports 
< 18 75—76 which foreign countries spared out of their super- 
; indance, would again be a sufficient inducement for shipments 
( a like bulk. The average has risen to 55s. d>d. per quarter 
Im September 1876, to June 1877 ; and yet the total arrivals 
(ss exports) have scarcely exceeded 12,000,000 quarters, leaving 
t; total supply for the year ending August 1877, a million 
carters below the average consumption. The prospects for the 
ut year are opening with a home crop of variable yield, late 
Irvested, and threatening to thrash out one-fifth below an 
rage, and necessitating an importation in 1877-78 approach- 
: 13,000,000 quarters. The price must be just what is 
>ugh to draw the requisite cargoes from other countries ; this, 
f ourse, depending upon many conditions beside the character 
e harvest in foreign lands. 
h barley, the standard average yield per acre, as estimated Home produc- 
tion of barley. 
