[630] C. Wren Hoskyns, Agricultural Statistics, p. 5.

[631] The abnormal prices during the Crimean War cannot fairly be taken into account.  The home and foreign supplies of wheat and flour from 1839-46 were:—­

Home Supplies.  Foreign Supplies.
qrs. qrs.

1839-40 4,022,000 1,762,482 1840-1 3,870,648 1,925,241 1841-2 3,626,173 2,985,422 1842-3 5,078,989 2,405,217 1843-4 5,213,454 1,606,912 1844-5 6,664,368 476,190 1845-6 5,699,969 2,732,134

(Tooke, History of Prices, iv. 414.)

1844-5 was a very abundant crop, and the threatened repeal of the Corn Laws induced farmers to send all the corn possible to market.

[632] Tooke, History of Prices, iv. 32.

[633] Cobden’s Speech, March 12, 1844.

[634] Tooke, History of Prices, iv. 142.

[635] From evidence collected by Mr. Austin in the southern counties.

[636] Progress of Nation, pp. 137 sq.  For the amount imported before that date, see Appendix 2.

[637] Walpole, History of England, iv. 63 sq.  Cobden apparently never contemplated such low prices for corn as have prevailed since 1883.  In his speech of March 12, 1844, he mentioned 50s. a quarter as a probable price under free trade, and he died before the full effect of foreign competition was felt by the English farmer.

[638] McCulloch, Commercial Dictionary, 1847, p. 274.  See below, pp. 325 sq.

[639] Caird, English Agriculture in 1850-1, p. 498.

[640] Ibid. p. 490.

[641] Victoria County History:  Warwickshire, ii. 277.

[642] Caird, op. cit., p. 481.

[643] Caird, op. cit. p. 507.

[644] Hasbach, op. cit. pp. 220, 226.

[645] Cobden’s Speech, March 12, 1844.

[646] Mr. Pusey, one of the best informed agriculturists of the day, estimated the produce of wheat per acre in 1840 at 26 bushels.—­R.A.S.E.  Journal, 1890, p. 20.

[647] Caird, English Farming in 1850-1, p. 474.

[648] Progress of the Nation.

[649] Thorold Rogers, History of Agriculture and Prices, v. 29.

[650] Progress of the Nation, pp. 137-9.

[651] Yet as the growth of population overtakes the corn and meat supply, these prophets may in the end prove correct.

[652] The Great Exhibition of 1851 was said to have widely diffused the use of improved implements.—­R.A.S.E.  Journal, 1856, p. 54.

[653] R.A.S.E.  Journal, 1890, p. 34.

[654] R.A.S.E.  Journal, 1856, p. 60.

[655] Ibid. 1901, p. 30.  See below, p. 343.

[656] Board of Agriculture Returns, 1878, and R.A.S.E.  Journal, 1868, p. 239.  Young estimated the number of cattle in England in 1770 at 2,852,048, including 684,491 draught cattle.—­Eastern Tour, iv. 456.