Tlio Agricultural Returns of 18GG and 18G7. 
215 
the Returns, and tlic oflicers of Inland Revenue (Surveyors of 
Excise) were "selected by the Government as a convenient and 
efficient local aj^ency to obtain the information with as little 
trouble as possible to the occupiers of land." 
It was explained by a circular letter that, in collectings agri- 
cultural Returns, the only object was to obtain for the information 
of the public reliable facts as to the home supply of corn and 
cattle ; and for the purpose of showing- that nothing which could 
in any way injure the interests of individual occupiers was 
intended to be ])ublished, the Returns for the previous year were 
largely circulated in the agricultural districts. 
Farmers will soon begin to discover that any fears they may 
have entertained of the application of the statistics to their own 
detriment are chimerical ; but it is to be hoped that the plan 
of widely distributing the Returns will not be discontinued 
when the need which is at present recognised of removing 
distrust is no longer felt. Those most intimately concerned in 
the supply of agricultural produce are clearly entitled to early 
and ample participation in whatever benefits are derivable from 
such information as the Government and the public obtain 
through their instrumentality. 
During the months of June, July, and August of last year, the 
collecting officers were employed in getting in the Returns, 
which were afterwards carefully examined in London with the 
view of affording correct data of comparison with subsequent 
years ; this examination, entailing frequent references to the 
collecting officers in different parts of the country, delayed 
the publication of the Returns — a delay for which increased ex- 
actitude sufficiently makes amends. It is believed that in future 
an endeavour will be made to get the statistics tabulated and 
printed at an earlier date, although much must depend in that 
respect upon the correctness of the local returns ; their value 
would be immensely enhanced if they were available for use by 
the end of August or early in September. 
The Returns for 1866 are republished with those for 1867 ; but 
for several reasons — notably the difference in the date of the 
stock returns in the two years, and the extension of the acreage 
returns in 1867 to all occupiers in lieu of the previous limitation 
to occupiers of five acres and upwards — the difference between the 
results for the two years cannot always be taken as the actual 
variation in the acreage under cultivation, or in the number of 
live stock. 
The total number of occupiers of land and owners of stock 
from whom Returns were obtained in 1867 is thus given : — 
