Home Produce, Imports, and Consumption of Wheat. 373 
average yield of wlieat per acre, so far as individual years 
are concerned, it is nevertheless believed that the figures given 
above represent the truth as closely as existing information 
enables us to approach it. Assuming the approximate accuracy 
of the figures, it is to be observed that England and Wales, 
comprising about 85 per cent, of the whole area, also give a 
higher average yield per acre than Scotland, which comprises 
only about 5 per cent. ; and Scotland, in its turn, gives a higher 
yield than Ireland, comprising about 10 per cent, of the whole 
area. Indeed, owing to the relatively small area under wheat in 
Scotland, and in Ireland, the average yield per acre for the 
United Kingdom is comparatively little below that for England 
and Wales. 
3. Aggref/ate Home-produce, and the Amount of it available as 
Human Food. 
For England and Wales the total home-produce is ascertained 
by multiplying the adopted number of acres under the crop each 
year, by the estimated number of bushels (of 61 lbs.) per acre, 
and then reducing into quarters. 
For Scotland the same method of calculation is adopted as for 
England and Wales, excepting for the four years 1854-57, 
for which the returns of the Highland Society give the aggregate 
produce in bushels. These have simply been reduced to quarters, 
regardless of weight per bushel, which, however, from the 
columns showing the weight per bushel in each of the very 
numerous districts, would appear to be on the average notably 
below 61 lbs. 
In the case of Ireland, the " Agricultural Statistics " give esti- 
mates of the aggregate produce each year in quarters, and we adopt 
the figures as they stand. They also give estimates, by weight, 
of the average yield per acre ; but it is obvious, on dividing the 
aggregate produce by the recorded number of acres, and com- 
paring the result with that obtained by dividing the recorded 
average yield per acre by 61, that the measure is given at a con- 
siderably lower weight per bushel than 61 lbs. ; lower indeed, 
than that for Scotland ; and doubtless, with the moist climate of 
Ireland the weight per bushel does in reality average less than 
in Scotland, and less still than in England and Wales. 
Considering the comparatively small proportion of the area 
under wheat in Scotland and in Ireland to that in the United 
Kingdom collectively, there will be but an immaterial amount 
of error due to taking the measure of the aggregate home-produce 
of those divisions of the kingdom at a lower weight per bushel 
than 61 lbs. 
It will be obvious that the total home-produce, however accu- 
