864  Statistics  ajfecting  British  Agricultural  Interests. 
Scotland  the  position  appears  to  have  been  somewliat  more  satisfactory  itian 
south  of  the  Border,  though  a good  deal  of  disease  is  reported  in  the  crop.  In 
the  soutliern  counties  the  results  were  summarised  by  one  estimator  as  follows  : 
“The  crop  was  a partial  failure  owing  to  cold,  too  much  wet,  and  want  of  sun. 
Growers  began  to  lift  the  crop  late  in  the  autumn  under  unfavourable  conditions, 
and  on  heavy  soils  it  was  thought  that  an  appreciable  proportion  of  the  crop 
would  be  unfit  for  table  use.” 
Itoof  Croj>s. — The  estimated  yield  per  acre  of  turnips  and  swedes  in  1903 
coincides  precisely  with  the  average  of  the  preceding  ten  years  for  England. 
In  Norfolk,  which  contains  the  largest  acreage  of  any  county  in  England,  the 
yield  was  more  than  2 tons  below  the  average,  the  growth  being  retarded  by 
the  absence  of  sun.  In  Lincoln,  where  the  area  is  nearly  as  great,  the  results 
were  better,  though  similar  conditions  interfered  to  some  extent  with  the  matur- 
ing of  the  crop,  and  the  feeding  properties  of  the  roots  are  said  not  to  be  so  gootl 
as  last  year.  In  Wales  the  crop  was  half  a ton,  and  in  Scotland  If  tons,  below 
the  average.  Mangels  were  estimated  at  18  tons  per  acre  in  England,  or  rather 
more  than  the  decennial  mean.  In  most  of  the  eastern  counties  the  yield  was 
unsatisfactory,  but  in  the  western  and  southern  districts  the  crops  did  fairly  well. 
Hay. — Some  compensation  for  the  generally  unsatisfactory  harvest  of  other 
crojjs  was  obtained  by  the  comparatively  successful  ingathering  of  the  hay  from 
clover,  sainfoin,  and  other  seeds,  which  yielded  about  4 cwt.  per  acre  in  excess 
of  the  average  in  England.  All  the  English  counties  showed  good  results  except 
the  northern  group  comprising  Lancaster,  Cumberland,  Westmorland,  North- 
umberland, and  Durham.  Pair  weather  during  the  latter  part  of  June  and  the 
beginning  of  July  enabled  the  first  cut  of  “seeds”  to  be  secured  in  good  order, 
but  the  second  cut  was  much  damaged  by  the  wet  weather,  and  in  many  cases 
completely  spoilt.  In  Wales  the  crop  was  four-fifths  of  a cwt.  below  the 
average.  In  Scotland  the  cokl  spring  retarded  the  growth  of  the  crop  which 
yielded  less  than  29  cwt.  per  acre  as  compared  with  an  average  of  nearly 
32  cwt.  The  result  in  the  case  of  hay  from  permanent  pasture  in  England 
was  very  similar  to  that  of  clover  hay,  a yield  of  nearly  26J  cwt.  being  secured, 
and  where  harvested  early  got  in  good  condition.  Low-lying  lands  suffered 
much  from  flootls  and  consequent  damage  to  the  crops.  In  Scotland  the  yield 
fell  below  the  average  by  l i cwt.  per  acre,  and  the  crop,  in  addition  to  being 
generally  light,  was  not  secured  in  good  condition. 
Hops. — The  yield  of  hops,  8‘78  cwt.  per  acre,  showed  an  increase  of  2'30  cwt. 
over  the  low  yield  of  the  previous  year,  a result  which  fell  short  of  the 
decennial  average  by  only  0T8  cwt.  The  yiehl  of  the  county  of  Kent  is 
now  separately  shown  for  each  of  the  three  divisions.  East  Kent,  Mid  Kent, 
and  the  Weald.  In  the  Mid  Kent  district  a crop  averaging  11  cwt.  per  acre 
was  estimated. 
Crops  of  the  United  Kingdom. 
By  the  addition  of  the  figures  for  Ireland  the  total  production  of  the 
chief  crops  in  the  United  Kingdom  as  a whole  may  be  shown  side  by  side 
for  the  past  three  years. 
Estimated  Total  Produce  of  Crops  in  the  United  Kingdom. 
Crops 
1901 
1902 
1903 
Qr. 
Qr. 
Qr. 
Wheat 
6,741,000 
7,285,000 
6,102,000 
Barley  ..... 
8,455,000 
9,305,000 
8,164.000 
Oats 
20,147,000 
23,023,000 
21,618,000 
Tons 
Tons 
Tons 
Potatoes  .... 
7,043,000 
5,920,000 
5,277,000 
Turnips  ..... 
25,298,000 
29,116,000 
23,523,000 
Mangels  .... 
9,224,000 
10.809.000 
15.246.000 
8,212,000 
Hay  (all  sorts) 
11,358,000 
14,955,000 
