S61 Home Produce, Imports, and Consumption of Wheat. 
in 1862 was not more than average, whereas in the experimental 
field it proved on thrashing to be rather over average. The 
area under wheat was, however, stated to be unusually large. 
The imports were also large, and the harvest of 1863 was two to 
three weeks earlier than usual, and hence the deficient yield per 
acre in 1862 was comparatively little felt, and little influenced 
prices. 
The crop of 1864, again, was more above the average in the 
experimental field than, according to the records, in the country 
generally. But the wheat crop of that year was, relatively, very 
much better on the heavier than on the lighter soils. It, more- 
over, followed the enormous crop of 1863, and was very short in 
the straw ; both of which circumstances would be likely to lead 
to an under-estimate of its amount. Indeed, it was afterwards 
spoken of as having yielded better than had been expected. The 
surplus of 1863 no doubt materially influenced prices during 
the harvest-year 1864-5 ; yet, considering the circumstances 
above-mentioned, the comparatively small amount of the im- 
ports, and the very low price, it is very probable that the crop 
of 1864 was in reality considerably better than the published 
reports represented it to be, and perhaps but little less above the 
average than was the crop in the experimental field. 
Leaving out of consideration for the present the question of 
the degree of correspondence in the actual amount per acre, it is 
obvious that there has, in point of fact, been a very general ac- 
cordance between the fluctuations in the amount of produce from 
year to year on the selected plots of the experimental field and 
those in the produce of the country generally in the correspond- 
ing seasons. The coincidence is, to say the least, very marked, 
and much greater than could have been anticipated. 
Sources and Character of the Data available. 
We will now attempt to apply such data as are at command, 
to estimate the amount of the home-produce, the foreign sup- 
plies, and the consumption of wheat, in England and Wales, in 
Scotland, and in Ireland, each separately ; also in Great Britain, 
and in the United Kingdom collectively, during the 16 harvest- 
years 1852-3 to 1867-8 inclusive. It will be necessary, how- 
ever, first to consider, in some detail, the sources and character 
of the data available for the purpose ; in order that a judgment 
may be formed of how far the conclusions indicated are really 
reliable, and how far the course of the inquiry serves to 
show on what points more comprehensive and exact informa- 
tion is essential before really trustworthy estimates can be made 
in reference to the questions proposed, involving as thev do, 
considerations of such great national interest and importance. 
