766 
The Future of Agricultural Gompetition. 
number of slieep in Australasia was greater in ] 890 than in 
1889 by about thirteen millions, in order to show that there is 
nothing comforting in the outlook. 
With respect to the future of competition in " hog products," 
to use an American term, I confess that I am altogether uncer- 
tain. The number of pigs in the United States increased from 
26,751,000 in 1870 to 31,031,000 in 1880, and to 51,602,780 
in 1890. Yet our imports of bacon reached the maximum in 
1880, and those of salt pork in 1879 ; neither having been 
nearly as great since. Hams alone reached the maximum in 
1890, but have come in only one preceding year in greater 
quantity than in 1880. For the first ten months of this 3'ear the 
quantity was smaller than it was in the like period of 1890, 
though the American supply was increased slightly. The open- 
ing, this year, of three European countries — Germany, France, 
and Italy — to American pork and bacon may help producers 
in this country to some extent. The importation of live pigs is 
practically extinct, only 347 having come to us in the ten 
months ending with October. The greatest number received in 
any year since 1860, and probably the maximum ever imported, 
was 133,280, in 1865. There has been a talk of a great trade in 
Russian bacon ; but whether it will ever come to considerable 
dimensions remains to be proved. So far as can be foreseen, 
the course of competition in the future will continue to be mainly 
dependent upon the possibilities of extended and cheap produc- 
tion in America, and as the population of that country grows, 
the chances are that exports will dwindle, especially if maize 
becomes dearer. At the present time it is reported in American 
papers that there will be less fattening than usual of pigs and 
cattle alike during the winter if maize does not go down in 
price. 
It is not necessary to devote space to a lengthened consi- 
deration of competition in horses, because it is not breeders in 
the United Kingdom who have to complain of it. The value of 
our exports of horses greatly exceeds that of our imports, and 
there is nothing in sight to reverse the proportion. 
Turning to dairij products, the first fact which calls for 
notice is a very striking one. Between 1876 (the first year for 
which the total is given in the Agricultural Returns) and 1890 
the increase in the number of cows and heifers in milk or in 
calf in the United Kingdom was only 181,017. This year we 
have a further increase of 161,187; but in considering how 
foreign competition lias grown up to 1890, we are confronted 
with the fact that, long before there was any complaint of de- 
pression among our dairy farmers, they virtually invited 
