388 Home Produce, Imports, and Consumption of Wheat. 
cecd briefly to direct attention to some of the most important 
facts which the figures bring to light. 
In regard to England and Wales the result is that, during the 
Last eight years as compared with the previous eight, the area 
under wheat is estimated to have diminished by about 4 per cent., 
the. yield per acre to have increased by little over 2 per cent., and 
the total produce accordingly diminislied by about IJ per cent. 
The diminution in aggregate home-produce available as human 
food amounts during the last eight years as compared with 
the previous eight, to \^ per cent. ; whilst there is an increase 
in the imports during the same period of nearly 80 per cent. 
— the result being an increase in the estimated total wheat 
consumed in England and Wales during the last eight years 
as compared with the former eight, of between 15 and 16 per 
cent. Against this increase in consumption, however, there is 
tin increase of population of little more than 9 per cent. The 
result is a diminution in the proportion in which the total con- 
sumption per head is supplied from home resources from 79 to 
66 per cent., and an increase in the proportion in which the 
whole is supplied by imports from 21 to 34 per cent. Lastly, 
according to the figures, the actual consumption of wheat per 
liead of the population has increased by nearly G per cent. 
Since the apportionment between England and Wales on the 
one hand, and Scotland on the other, of the imports into Great 
Britain during the first ten years of the sixteen, was, to a great 
-extent, arbitrary, as already explained, and since, owing to the 
comparatively small figures for Scotland, any error in the appor- 
tionment would more affect the results in regard to it than those 
relating to England and Wales, the indicaticms of the figures 
must of course be accepted with more of caution. It may be 
stated in general terms, however, that whilst the area under the 
crop and the total home-produce of wheat in Scotland would 
appear to have diminished during the last eight years as com- 
pared with the former eight, very much more, proportionally, 
than in England and Wales, the imports, on the other hand, 
must be supposed to have considerably increased ; though whether 
in a greater or a less proportion than in England and Wales, is, 
however, doubtful ; as also is the indic ation of the figures 
that the consumption of wheat per head of the population has not 
increased. 
The results relating to Great Britain are on most points more 
satisfactory than those relating either to England and Wales, or 
to Scotland separately. The conclusions in regard to Great 
Britain are, that, comparing the two periods of eight years each, 
the area has diminished during the latter half by nearly 6 per 
cent., the yield per acre increased by rather over 2^ per cent., and 
