Agricultural Statistics. 
577 
head per annum,) the history of the average prices is most striking. 
Keeping the war period from 1800 to 1815 by itself, as not afford- 
ing separable conclusions, and the remaining five years of the 
second decade in its proper place, we have the following remark- 
able range : — 
Price of Wheat 
per Quarter. 
1800 to 1815 (indusive) .. .. 84s. M. 
1816 to 1820 „ .... 78.S. 4c7. 
1821 to 1830 „ .... bQs.Zd. 
1831 to 1840 „ .... 57s. Od. 
1841tol850 „ .... ZQs.Od. 
Here in spite of all the causes apparently adverse to such a 
result, we have a regul.ar decline of price, betokening, from a 
striking point of view, an increase of acreable produce of the most 
surprising extent. 
We have taken account of the two causes whose interference 
could alone affect this conclusion- — Inclosure and Importation ; 
we have shown that the first, compared against the population- 
table, has exhibited a diminished area per head, and the average 
supply by the latter has been stated at t/wee iceehs' consumption out 
of the year. In the teeth of these facts this steady reduction of 
price throughout the period is a striking evidence of the progress 
of agricultural skill. It now remains to attempt the bold task 
of calculating, from the foregoing data, what was the probable 
average home-produce of wheat in Great Britain during each of 
these decennary periods from the commencement of the century. 
Deducting from the calculated consumption the quantity imported, 
the account will stand as follows : — 
i Average Animal 
Produce of Wlieat. 
1800 to 1810 (last year iuclusive) .. .. 8,152,135 quarters. 
1810 to 1820 „ .. .. 9,501,457 
1820 to 1830 „ .... 11,077,552 
1830 to 1840 „ .... 13,359,083 
1840 to 1850 „ .... 15,142,055 
This table makes no pretension to strict accuracy : neither does it 
attempt to mark the annual progressive increase. It is merely a 
broad result forced out by figures placed against figures, for the 
whole decennary periods each taken in the aggregate, but wanting 
some of the requisite data for even approximate statistical exact- 
ness. On this point we are yet to seek : and we will ask the 
reader to follow us in a brief survey of what has actually been 
done during the last two or three years by the Government 
towards the attainment of this national object. It is hard journey- 
quarters could apply, taking the acreage of the Scotch Returns, and the " propor- 
tionat total " for England (to which his second letter refers, as the basis of his 
calcul ation), at the average of -Si quarters per acre. 
