108 
Thome Produce, Imports, Consumption, and 
Area under Wheat in the United Kingdom. 
The following Table (VI.) shows the average area under the 
crop in the United Kingdom for each of the five eight-yearly 
periods, and for the total period of forty years. 
Table VI. 
— 
1 
Average area 
under wheat in 
the United 
Kingdom 
Increase or 
decrease over 
each period 
of 8 years 
| Averages for: — 
Acres 
Acres 
8 years 1852-3 to 1859-60 . 
4,092,160 
8 „ 1860-1 „ 1867-8 . 
3,753,011 
-339,149 
8 „ 1868-9 „ 1875-6 . 
3,788,132 
+ 35,121 
8 „ 1876-7 „ 1883-4 . 
3,091,310 
-696,822 
8 „ 1884-5 „ 1891-2 . 
2,512,924 
— 578,386 
40 „ 1852-3 „ 1891-2 . 
3,447,507 
— 
This summary Table is sufficient to bring clearly to view the 
very great decline that has taken place in the area under the 
crop during the forty years. But the better to understand the 
causes of it, it is necessary not only to study the figures for 
the individual years, but to consider them in connection with 
the acreage yield of the crop, the imports, and the average price 
of wheat. Speaking generally, it will be found that a good 
yield, or relatively high . price, has tended to check reduction, 
whilst contrary conditions in these respects have had the effect 
of accelerating it. It has been explained at p. 79, that over 
the first fourteen years of the forty, the area was to a great extent 
estimated only, but that from 18G6 up to the present time 
official returns have annually been available. These circum- 
stances must, of coui’se, be borne in mind, and must prevent too 
rigid an interpretation of the exact figures. Still, having 
regard to the unusually high yields per acre in 1863, 1864, and 
1865, and the consequent reduction in price, there is no reason 
to doubt that the reduction of area over the second eight-yearly 
period, including these years, which the figures indicate, sub- 
stantially represented the truth. The recovery in the area over 
the third period of eight years, especially in the first and second 
years, 1868-9 and 1869-70, is obviously a natural consequence 
of the higher price over the two preceding harvest-years ; whilst 
the general, though slight, increase throughout the period is 
accompanied with fair maintenance of price up to nearly the 
end of it. 
