BRITIH AGRICULTURAL DECLINE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2600, 7 August 1882, Page 3

BRITIH AGRICULTURAL DECLINE.

The London “ Times ” has published a long article showing by the great reduction in the number of sheep and by other evidences the great decline that has taken place in agricultural wealth in the United Kingdom since 1868 In every county in the kingdom there is a decrease of sheep, and only in a few is there an increase of cattle. "For the United Kingdom the decrease in sheep amounts to 7,712,000, or 21,63 per cent. ; the increase in csttle being 822.000, or 9.04 per cent. Taking each head of cattle as equivalent to six sheep, the writer shows the net decrease in cattle and sheep, all reckoned as sheep, and this he finds to be 3.263,000, or 7.49 per cent., for England; and 111,000, or 082 per cent., for Scotland. For Wales there is a net increase of 171.000, or 2.74 per cent.; and for Ireland 410,000, or 1.65 percent. The net decrease for Great Britain is thus 3,202,000, or 5.06 per cent; and for the United Kingdom, including the islands, 2.780,000, or 3.08 per cent. Iho money losses he sets at £8,170,000 for England, and £277,000 for Scotland ; the gains at £427,000 for Wales, and £1,100,000 for Ireland ; the net loss for the United Kingdom being £6,930,000.” These figures are, of course, independent of the heavy losses cince 1877 to farmers from defective yields of grain and other crops, as well as from lower prices.