The National tribune., 1881-12-10

ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.-The
following extracts are from the Report of the En-
glish Board of Trade. In Great Britain the area
reported to be cultivated in 1881 amounts to
80, ,212, 900 acres as compared with 80 100000
acres in 1880, an increase of 10000 in all The
area under grain crops is s,s48,OOO acres only as
compared with $4,000 acres in 1880, decrease
of $4,000 acres. The area under green crops is
$4,000 acres compared with g. 34760OO, an
increase of $4,000 acres only. The area under
clover and grasses under rotation is 1912 900
acres decrease of $4,000 acres; and the area un-
der arabic lands altogether is 17,568OOO acres as
compared with 1865, 900 in 1880, decrease of
100000 acres. The increase in permanent pas
ture, on the other hand, is 21600O acres from
4427000 acres in 1880 to IA 643 900 acres in the
present year. A movement which has gone on
without interruption for some time, and which
has increased the area under permanent pasture
from IL, ,4350O0 acres in 1871 to 14,427,OOO acres
in 1880, while the arabic fell from 1S,4O3 900 to
900 acres, has thus been continued during
the present year. This continued decrease in
arabic land and increase of permanent pasture is
unanimously ascribed to the low prices of grain
and the pressure of American competition.
AS regards grain crops the most important fact
apart from the slight decrease in the total seems
to be that there has been diminution of the area
under both wheat and barley, and an increase of
the area under oats. The total under wheat is
2,o06O00 acres, a decrease of 100000 acres from
1880; and under barley ,4420 900 acres, decrease
of %, 600 acres from 1880; while under oats the
total is 2,901 900 acres an increase of 1O4 900
acres over 1880. Among the minor crops there
is an increase Of IA, 600 acres in the area under
beans, and decrease of Is 600 acres under peas
As regards green crops, the most important vari-
atlons apart from the small increase already no
ticed appear to be an increase of $4,000 acres in
potatoes, II 900 acres in turnips and 5000 acres
in vetches, and decrease of $4,000 acres in the
area under cabbage, kohl rabi, and rape. There
is also diminution from 1886 acres to 1884
under flax, and from 66,69S acres to 64,943 acres
under hops.
In Ireland there is decrease Of SO, 900 acres in
the cultivated area Grain crops have increased
altogether 10000 acres, the increase being mainly
the oat crop. Green crops have increased 81 900
acres, and this is due to the large increase of 3d.
300 acres Under potatoes, as there is slight de-
crease of other green crops. The decrease in per-
->NANAAS
there is a diminution of 10000 acres in the area
under fax.
Taking the figures of 1881 as the basis, the re-
suit shows that, in the United Kingdom, there is
cultivated area in all of A. 646 900 acres. as COM
pared with total of Il, ,829 600 acres, so that
81 per cent. of the area is cultivated
PRESERVING SHINGLES.-The large number
Of buildings the roofs of which the farmer is COM
PEELED to keep tight makes it question of i'm
portance as to how he can best preserve the
Shingle, and do it at a cost that will make it
advisable.
The split and shaved shingle of hundred
years ago, that came from the old growth of pine,
we're quite different article from the sawed pine
single from the sapling pine of to-day While
he former would keep roof tight thirty or forty
years, the latter will keep one tight not much
more than one-quarter of that period.
Various methods have been devised to make
he shingle of the present day more lasting
Dipping them in hot lime water, coal tar, is prac-
iced by some, and is found to be very benef-