The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-08 00:00:00

in a large measure to the manner in which he has
been victimised by his " natural leaders."
Our business, however, at present is not with
the causes, but the effects, in part, of this ill
usage on his peculiar idiosyncracy, and that
simply in relation to agricultural statistics. The
absolute necessity of the latter we have already
insisted on, and now that we come to the mode
of obtaining them with an approximation to ac-
curacy, " JOHN BULL under aggravated circum-
stances" stares us in the face—a formidable ob-
struction. That lowering brow, that penetrating
eye, and general air of incredulous stolidity, give
but little promise of getting anything respecting
his affairs out of him. Ask the price of
" whoats" or other cereals, and he may con-
descend to tell you, but extend your inquiry
to the quantity of grain he has on hand, what
amount of acres he has devoted to cereal or other
growth, and the probabilities aro as a thousand to
one he will tell you, however flattering may have
been your introduction, "It's no business of yours."
Indeed it must at the outset be taken for granted
that it were utterly useless to seek the statistics
required from him, unless armed with the autho-
rity of law backed by penalties, and it is by no
means certain you would get them then.

Had, however, agricultural statistics must be, and
the question consequently is—how shall they be got?
After the manner adopted experimentally by the
Highland Society; viz., by means of district commit-
tees (legally appointed), whose task it shall be, the
acreage being obtained, to make observations in
their respective districts, witness experiments on
thrashing, dm, and finally meet and compare
notes before fixing the estimated produce per acre
in bushels for each union or district—that amount,
when applied to the acreage, giving the required
return ? Or shall each farmer be called upon to
make an accurate return, under penalty, to an
authorised official ? Or after what other fashion
may the required statistics be obtained ? As a
matter of choice we would prefer the first of the
above•described modes as the most likely per se to
accomplish the desired end ; and for these reasons
—it is obviously the least offensive, will have
most suffrages, and we are disposed to think is
most to be relied on. Absolute accuracy is of
course out of the question, but of the two modes
this appears most likely to insure the nearest ap-
proximation to it. Against the second the
agricultural mind would rise in the sturdiest
revolt, and it may be left to conjecture with
what results. How strong the feeling is
likely to be may be gathered from the fact
that, chief among the objections to any statistics
at all is the assertion that, to seek for them is a
retrogression to heathenism, involves a self-reli-
ance and a distrust of PROVIDENCE resembling
that displayed by the builders of the Tower of
Babel. The fret mode, however, is not so free
from objection as not to suggest a third, in which
a resort to the second in particular localities,
where circumstances might seem to require it,
might not be authorised in connection with it.
The subject, however, will be brought pro-
minently forward for discussion, when we will
have an opportunity to deal with it more at large.
This much is certain, the adoption of the first
mode would prove a great boon.