THE FALLING OFF IN BRITISH AGRICULTURE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12907, 22 February 1906, Page 6

THE FALLING OFF IN BRITISH AGRICULTURE.

The - *"Mark Lane Express"* gives convincing, figures to prove that, as an agricultural, country Great Britain is yearly approaching, a condition of non-productive ne*-':

i ' Within the last thirty vvmx says live ' j"Kxpres»-" outer two .million -jtcte* |" been urititdxuwu from cereal cultivation in j Great Britain. Ti.irty years ago Gieat \ Britain devoted 3,650,300 acres tu wheal ;. j the present harvest ban beeu uptown ■ orj' 1,796,985 a«res only. The area of wheat '• land whicln has pureed out of cnltivatzuu •• within thi. lifetime of all ol us who hsve attained even earls middle age is 1,834,000 ; acres, or mere than. tUe area now remain- , ing under cuUivatieu 1 j The barltaj cioj* is 1«-* affettcrt. hut a decline iruiiL .iues in 18io »<» i L'/13.664. actis in 1905 exceeds ; acres; in }.iurty-tw«* years, and mean.- jii.i! ; barley culture will be extinct beSuc <;iv ; i close of the «;enttny. Of oats the-Initric : * *ra». well nudutainat till quite r*v«*i.iiy. •.but 1905>i.tarns ate 200,0C0 acnx Us- ' ItLwn those of 1904, and the enormous lli-> fsiau supplies juake i< impossible to li.r.-- ' {any contidencir in teeorery. Tlie '3u>*iin ; I grain gets to- hond*o. iu a week* a:id .• ' Hie sea fraiglUs fiour the shun;-; of. Finland u»- ibfc quays of L* n-,U,.t •are much less than the iaiiw.«v \ c!::irge& from .she Miilauds to the 3ttet?<: yolis. Bean*- in 1873 occupied 386..161 i

:wres: in 1905' the juea tra.s 254.76 a.« ic- j oa'.y. Hean.s. . like vrhcat. will be 3«i ' X that crop before 1935. Peas h;iv.tfrom 518.215 to- I7ssnCß acres: Ie» ;it.ci . Beans, but halT a century will mi Hire ; •see the last Sot at least it w!i iw ! surmised that wittle are gaining in 51'«« •re-ion made fcr. t&pn-of home-grow a ; I'nfortunateiyi. rlie I,m<i withdrawn horn j ' wheat. barley,. oat*. owns, and jKav li.s> • iw>t gone into rise for the giowtli of'-i-I or swedes for oi these two t rojvs i";)j are* in 1871 was 2.153.336 acres. bm "n , |mS is 1.589. .{To ;utw oa'y. Mangahl ib.** \ indeed show .«otne ?n«»e»j«e.s but | 322,615 acvt-if in 1875 there nre only 1. * 125 acres nc>\«. «.-i» Ihur v.vedes.:wd ■ v -• ; »t the pie.-i;iit r.ite <if changes v.*il( -nv« £»ne out. of .'irbiVwrvsn "u 1.589.??? before ihe :.fiMtMs«iij» «-rlliue n: Mangold* - has reached 10 half ;t million, acres. t But etttngb <•? fignre*. The evidence 5* ; overwhelming. It i> .simply iuqfossible t<»; exaggerate if* sicnilit.->iKe. It meuis .< wholly til lain p«.pnintinn within fifty yea's time—the counliy ;» ifeserl or a mere plan* ; of pleasnie resort. The matter flas ctsiywi'* to be one of"Fair v. Free trade--ft if xinipfy-; a questi» «r >»£ ; Lt the KngHsli race wm Jii preserving*.*'