Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 09.djvu/195

* GREAT BBITAIN. 169 GBEAT BRITAIN. in the different sections, being determined largely by physical conditions. The Highlands of North and South [Scotland, of Western England, and of a large portion of Wales, are unavailable for tillage; in fact, a considerable portion of these hill}' regions is scarcely available for grazing purposes. Again, there are extensive lowlands and swampy regions as in the Fens of Lincoln- shire, which, even with extensive drainage, have not been entirely brought under cultivation. The proportion of the total area under crops and grass for England, Wales, and Scotland is seen in tlie following table: the true signilicance of British agriculture. In that respect it scarcely exceeds some of our American States, as, for instance, Illinois or Iowa. Its real importance apjiears when we consider the intensivencss of cultivation, the ad- vanced scientific principles ai)plieil, and the re- sullantf large size of the product per acre, in these respects Great Britain is unsurpassed. By a scientific rotation of crops, a maximum culti- vatit)n of the soil, and a liberal use of natural and artificial fertilizers, the reluctant soil is made to produce extraordinarily. Thus, while the area of cultivation has for half a century re- England Scotland For the years.. 1886-90 Total acreage undercrops and grasses 24,960,192 Permanent pasture 10.216,981 12.622.030 13.457.600 Arable land 1 13,095,137 112,338,102 11,236,592 Cereals and pulse Wheat Barley Oats Kye ^ Beans and peas. Total Potatoes Turnips and Swedes Green 1 Mangold crops Cabbage, etc., vetches or tares, and other green crops Total.. Clover, sainfoin, and grasses under rotation Flax Hops ..! Small fruit Bare fallow 3.284,445 1,953.&S8 1,418,808 46,002 846,501 7,549,144 335,011 1,555,128 331,249 2.684,367 11.866 64,039 2,270.916 1.7',lO,4til 1,085,769 52,384 557,860 6,357,390 371.294 l,-l 04,360 337,139 2,619.819 2.802.72C 2,44U 60,920 37.068 472,620 1.617.721 1.633.426 1,831.740 49.649 389.546 2,652,483 1,581,558 1.070,925 119,844 161.650 245.486 1.945 8,592 2,842.616 1.937.588 905,028 70,404 120,668 249.326 1,293 8,727 2,823,062 1,941.365 881,697 47.019 101,907 208.773 1,460 2.811 4.560,825 1.084,983 3.475.842 122,513 252.105 1,007.339 10,480 29,078 4,895,716 4,900.131 1,207.626 1,428.224 3,088,089 3.471.907 59.311 217.789 1.033.013 8,422 18.481 36.225 235.115 956,389 5.641 14.386 5,524,082 415,105 1,144,035 456.081 637,617 47.018 70.201 6,931 9,626 445.418 40.668 71,323 7.324 6.744 361.970 31.979 61,934 9,811 1,421,515 167,880 603,709 1,748 20,484 1,337,616 1.247,656 1.50,680 481,825 1,265 24.117 2.401,266 2.862,668 630 51,127 67.828 329,002 366.433 124 3 "'33,072 318.062 19 646 16,193 693.821 1.338,106 731 1.092 7,882 657.877 1,655,341 303 3,916 14.601 130.176 468.556 2,950 25,804 617,486 1,693.461 4 6.079 7,221 It will be seen that, in a general way, England stands out in remarkable contrast from the other two sections of Great Britain. Two almost equal agricultural divisions are recognized in England, the one extending from Northumberland and Cumberland south to Dorset and west to Cornwall, or the western half of England, being predomi- nantl.y grazing, the other, or eastern half, being predominantly grain-raising. From the above tables it will be seen that wheat-growing is main- ly confined to England, as are also rye, beans, and jieas. and that oats and barley are striking- ly prominent in the other two divisions. Po- tatoes and turnips are more proportionately di- vided between the three kingdoms. Incidentally it may be noted that Great Britain contrasts with Ireland mainly in the production of wheat, oats, and potatoes. Ireland is prominent in the pro- duction of the last two crops, but raises scarcely any wheat. (See Irel.icd.) Grazing is rela- tively of much greater consequence in Great Brit- ain than in the United States, or in other Euro pean countries (omit4^ing Ireland). However, a statement of the acreage alone does not indicate mained stationary or decreased, the product has continuously increased. The following table indi- cates the product per acre in bushels for the leading crops as compared with the United States, France, and Russia: Ansttal, Average for 1894-1900 Wheat Oats Barley 13.2 9.1 19.5 31.8 27.9 19.4 26.8 • 41.6 23.1 13.0 21.8 United Kingdom 34.8 The quality of the domestic animals must also be considered. Great Britain has originated many of the finest breeds of stock known. (See England and Scotland.) The purity of the breeds is zealously guarded, and the grade of stock averages much higher than in the United States. It is noteworthy, too, that Great Britain has more than half the total niunber of sheep in the whole of the United States. The following table shows the relative importance of the differ- ent domestic animals in the three kingdoms: England Wales Scotland 1871-5 1886-90 1901 1871-5 1886-90 1901 1871-5 1886-90 1901 Horses.... Cattle Sheep Pigs 988,715 4.054.074 18,717,511 2,100.314 1,094.683 4,.W3.192 16,264.022 2,063.154 1.161,914 4,791.535 15..54S.067 1,842,133 120,789 631,712 2,911,385 218.410 140,757 690,999 2.780,703 231,668 1.54.624 743.078 3.427,734 212.971 178,652 1,)27,3.'!7 7.161.122 166.148 190.180 1.138,912 6.882,698 147,039 194.893 1.229.281 7.40I',409 124,821