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10 average consumption per individual had materially lessened, and a glance at the improved condition of the people forbids this supposition.

The most satisfactory evidence, however, is afforded by a comparison of our population and imports of corn within the several periods.

The population of Great Britain and Ireland was in 1821, 20,874,158; in 1831, 24,029,703; and in 1841, 26,731,949; shewing an increase over 1821, of 3,155,545 in 1831, and of 5,857,791 in 1841.

The annual consumption per individual of the different sorts of corn when used as food for man is estimated at 1 quarter of wheat, beans, or peas; 1 quarter 2 bushels of rye or barley; and 2 quarters of oats. The average quantity of foreign corn consumed, and the population maintained by it during the last two decennial periods, have therefore been,