Price of Wheat , over 40 Harvest-Years , 1852-3 to 1891-2. 79 
figure, the estimate of requirement for consumption will be too 
low, or if the estimate of population be too high, so also will 
that of consumption be too high. Again, if the amount of flour 
imported represents a larger amount of wheat grain than has 
hitherto been supposed, the amount available each year, and 
consequently the amount available per head of the population, 
has been greater than has been estimated. On the other hand, 
the reduction in the adopted weight per bushel of the home and 
imported wheat, although it implies an increase in the figure 
representing the measure of the wheat grown, imported, and 
consumed, does not represent any increase in the actual quan- 
tities by weight. 
It is proposed to consider — the methods and the results of the 
estimates and records for the past forty years, as previously given ; 
how far they require modification, in view of the altered factors 
in regard to imported wheat and flour, and the corrected estimates 
of the population, as above referred to ; and whether any, or 
what changes, should be adopted in the future. Lastly, attention 
will be directed to the important bearings of the results finally 
arrived at. 
The Bata Required. 
In our first paper on this subject, published in the Journal 
(Yol. IV., 2nd Series, Part II.) in 18G8, the estimates and records 
were given for each division of the United Kingdom separately, 
and for the whole collectively, but in 1880 the illustrations were 
confined to the United Kingdom as a whole, and it is proposed 
so to limit them on the present occasion. 
For each harvest-year the data required are — the area under 
wheat ; the average yield of wheat per acre over the whole country ; 
the aggregate home produce, and the amount of it available 
for consumption ; the net imports ; the population ; and the aver- 
age consumption of wheat per head of the population per annum. 
The data at command in 18G8, and the results arrived at, 
were fully discussed in the paper of that date, and for detailed 
information reference must be made to it, but the main facts may 
be briefly summarised as follows : — 
The Area under Wheat . — For the fourteen years 1852 to 18G5 
inclusive, estimates only were available for fixing the area under 
the crop in England and Wales. For Scotland, returns were 
collected by the Highland Society for the years 1854, 1855, 
185G, and 1857 ; but for the two years prior to 1854, and for 
the eight years 1858-G5 inclusive, estimates only had to be 
relied upon. For Ireland, returns have been available from the 
