314 Statistics affecting British Agricultural Interests . 
400,000 acres. The area now recorded still exceeds the average of the 
preceding five years by nearly 120,000 acres. Only in England was any 
decline apparent, Wales and Scotland adding 895 and 1,440 acres respectively 
to their acreage. The reduction in the wheat area was general in each 
division of England except the northern and north-western nearly every 
county of which showed an increase. The largest actual decreases were in 
Lincoln 5,364 acres, Norfolk 4,155 acres, Suffolk 3,475 acres, or about 3 per 
cent, in each case, and in Sussex 3,046 acres, or 6 per cent., these four 
counties accounting for more than a third of the total loss in England. 
Bedford, Essex, Gloucester, Northampton, Somerset, and Worcester each 
recorded a decreased wheat area of about 2,500 acres, while nine other counties 
reported losses averaging some 1,500 acres. In the northern and north-western 
division, Lancaster increased its area under wheat by 3,090 acres, or nearly 
17 per cent., the North Biding by 2,768 acres, or nearly 10 per cent., Chester 
by 1,833 acres, or over 14 per cent., and Stafford by 1,508 acres, or 7 per cent. 
In Scotland, where the total addition to the wheat area amounted to 1,440 acres, 
or nearly 3 per cent., only five counties — Aberdeen, Berwick, Kincardine, 
Kinross, and Perth — showed a decline, while there was an increase in all the 
remaining counties, twenty-two in number, where wheat is grown. 
Barley. — Barley, for the first time since 1900, showed an increase, the 
actual addition being 37,574 acres, or 2 per cent. This was practically 
equivalent to the decline in wheat, but the area under barley still remains 
less by 90,000 acres than in 1904. During the past thirty years the cultivation 
of this crop has declined by about 660,000 acres, and it may be noted that 
it now covers almost precisely the same extent of land as wheat. The increase 
in 1906 was principally in England, where an addition of 29,421 acres, or 
about 2 per cent., was recorded ; Wales returning 1,591 acres and Scotland 
6,562 acres more, the latter being relatively the largest increase of the three 
countries. In England, twenty-nine counties showed an increase, by far the 
largest addition in any single county being in Lincoln, the largest barley- 
growing county, where an increase of 11,896 acres, or about 6 per cent., was 
returned. The two counties next in importance, Norfolk and Suffolk, however, 
had a slightly diminished acreage under this crop. Hampshire had an increase 
of 2,772 acres, or over 9 per cent., and Nottingham one of 2,547 acres, or 
8 per cent., while Salop, Stafford, Dorset, Durham, Devon, Cornwall, and 
Gloucester each substantially extended their barley acreage. Essex, with 
a loss of 2,700 acres, or nearly 4 per cent., was the most noticeable exception 
to the general rule. Nearly every county in Wales had an increase ; while in 
Scotland the gains and losses were fairly distributed, the largest additions 
being in Aberdeen 1,613 acres, Perth 914 acres, Forfar 906 acres, and Berwick 
887 acres. 
Oats . — The decline in the area under oats, amounting to 8,450 acres, or 
0‘3 per cent., cannot be regarded as significant. The acreage is now 3,042,926 
acres, or some 14,000 acres less than in 1902. This year’s decline was confined 
to Wales and Scotland, mainly to the latter country, which lost 6,187 acres, 
Wales having a deficit of 2,819 acres, while England had a small increase 
of 556 acres. The changes were fairly distributed amongst the counties in 
England, twenty-one showing increases in their oat area and twenty-two 
recording decreases. The largest actual additions were in Norfolk 5,676 acres, 
Wilts 2,835 acres, Essex 2,317 acres, and Hertford 2,083 acres. Decreases 
occurred principally in the North Biding 3,197 acres, Salop 2,757 acres, Stafford 
2,529 acres, Cornwall 2,412 acres, and Nottingham 2,029 acres. In Wales, 
three counties, Anglesey, Carnarvon, and Glamorgan, alone showed increases 
and in Scotland twenty-two counties contributed to the reduction of the 
acreage under oats. Amongst the Scottish counties which did not follow the 
general trend, Lanark was conspicuous with an addition of 1,338 acres. 
Rye, Beans , and Peas . — Bye in 1906 showed a gain of 2,611 acres, or 4 - 2 
per cent. In England, the principal additions occurred in Chester, Stafford, 
the East and North Hidings, and Lincoln, while Hampshire and Wiltshire each 
