ob8 lluDic Produce, Imports, and ConsumjHiuii of JVIieat. 
Thus, the area in tho first year, 1852, was less than the mean 
area of the sixteen years ; but it was one-third more than in the 
last year, 1^67. The maximum area was in 1857, and it was 
more than double the minimum, which was in 1SG3, only six 
years later. 
The fluctuation of area under wheat in Ireland, during: the last 
16 years, has, therefore, according to the returns, been very great 
indeed ; and it has doubtless, in reality, been very considerable. 
The general result indicated is, a marked increase of area from 
1852 to 1850, and a pretty uniform and very large area in 1856, 
1857, and 1858 ; then a marked diminution to the minimum point 
in 1863, and from that time to the present comparatively little 
change. One element in the explanation of these changes 
doubtless is, that, during the earlier years, the increase of area 
was encouraged by a more than average yield per acre. The 
yield was then only about average during the years of very large 
area, and it then fell gradually to a very low point in 18G2. 
After this the yield per acre again improved, but the area has 
not in a corresponding degree been enlarged. 
For the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands, the "Agri- 
cultural Returns" give us the area under wheat in 1866 and 1867. 
But the area and the population of these islands constitute but a 
fraction of 1 per cent, of the area and population respectively, of 
the United Kingdom. Nor does the Registrar-General in his 
estimates of the population of the United Kingdom include the 
population either of these or of the other islands in the British 
Seas. Upon the whole we considered it of very questionable 
utility to take either the area or the consumption of these islands 
into consideration, and we have therefore disregarded them in 
the calculations. 
We have now described the sources and character of the 
data at command for the purpose, and adopted returns, or 
estimates, as the case may be, of the area under wheat, in 
England and Wales, in Scotland, and in Ireland, in each year 
from 1852 to 1867 inclusive. The area for Great Britain, and 
for the United Kingdom, can obviously be estimated by simple 
addition of the proper items so determined. Accordingly, in 
Appendix-Table III., p. 394, for Great Britain, and in Appendix- 
Table v., p. 396, for the United Kingdom, the results of such 
calculations are given. 
2. Yield of Wheat per Acre. 
It will be obvious that a knowledge of the average yield of 
■v\lu'at per acre, from year to year, is as important an element in 
estimating the home-produce of the country as is that of the 
