The decrease in the acreage of hops, from its maximum of 71,789 acres in 1878 to 44,938 in 1907, was ascribed by the recent Commission to the lessening demand for beer in England, the demand for lighter kinds of beer, and the use of hop substitutes, and not to increase in foreign competition; which the following figures seem to bear out: 

IMPORTS OF HOPS. 
Cwt.

1861 149,176 1867 296,117 1869 322,515 1870 127,853 1875 256,444 1877 (the year before the record acreage planted) 250,039 1879 262,765 1903 113,998 1904 313,667 1905 108,953 1906 232,619 1907 202,324

In recent years they have been a loss to the grower; as the average crop is a little under 9 cwt. per acre, and the total cost of growing and marketing from L35 to L45 an acre, it is obvious that prices of about L3 per cwt., which have ruled lately, are unremunerative.

However disastrous to the farmer and landowner, the increased quantities and low prices of food thus obtained have been of inestimable benefit to the crowded population of England.  In 1851 the whole corn supply, both English and foreign, afforded 317 lb. per annum per head of the population of 27 millions.  In 1889 the total supply gave 400 lb. per head to a population of 37-1/2 millions at a greatly reduced cost.[728] The supply of animal food presents similar contrasts; in 1851 each person obtained 90 lb., in 1889 115 lb.  The average value of the imports of food per head in the period 1859-65 was about 25s.; in the period 1901-7, 65s.[729] The products which have stood best against foreign competition are fresh milk, hay and straw, the softer kinds of fruit that will not bear carriage well, and stock of the finest quality.  These islands still maintain their great reputation for the excellent quality of their live stock, and exports, chiefly of pedigree animals, touched their highest figure in 1906: 

Average per
No.         Total Value.       head. 
L                 L

Cattle        5,616        327,335             58
Sheep        12,716        204,061             16
Pigs          2,221         20,292              9

1877.[730]

Acreage under crops and
grass in England 24,312,033

  Corn crops.
  Wheat 2,987,129
  Barley or bere 2,000,531
  Oats 1,489,999
  Rye 48,604
  Beans 470,153
  Peas 306,356
                                ---------
                         Total 7,302,772