344 Home Produce, Imports, Consumption, 
Finally, taking the average of the unmanured plot, of the 
farmyard-manure plot, and of the three artificially manured 
plots reckoned as one, as is annually done for the purpose of 
our estimate ; then correcting the result for each year as 
before, for the fluctuations of season ; and comparing the 
results so obtained with the actual averages, the actual results 
show a very slight excess over the first half of the period, 
including more than an average of good seasons, and a some- 
what greater, but still small, deficiency over the second period, 
including more than the average of bad seasons. The average 
of the whole indicates, therefore, no gain by accumulation, but, 
if anything, a slight loss. 
Comparing the direct average of the experimental plots with 
that actually adopted as the average for the United Kingdom 
each year, the experimental plots indicate for the whole twenty- 
eight years about three-quarters of a bushel less per acre per 
annum than the actually adopted estimates founded upon them. 
Taking the average of the twenty-eight years' adopted esti- 
mate of produce per acre as 100, the first column of the follow- 
ing Table shows the deviation from this general average for the 
whole period, over the first eight, the second eight, the third 
eight, and the last four, years of the twenty-eight ; and the 
second column shows the deviation, from the same standard, of 
the average produce per acre on the selected plots : — 
Table I. — Showing the Deviation over each separate Period from 
the adopted Average of the whole Period taken as 100. 
Actually 
adopted 
Averages. 
Averages 
of Plots, 
3, 2, and 
7, 8, and 9. 
First 8 years, 1852-59 .. .. 
Second 8 years, 1860-07 
Third 8 years, 1808-75 
Last 4 years, 1876-79 .. 
103 
104 
98 
89 
101 
106 
99 
71 
Total Period 28 years.. 
100 
98 
So far as the annually adopted estimates are correct, the 
figures in the first column indicate the actual fluctuations in 
the average produce per acre of the country at large due to the 
characters of the seasons over each period compared with the 
others, and with the total period. 
The first period of eight years included two of considerably 
over average, another over average, three rather under, and two 
very much under average. The result was, however, upon the 
