was on the whole tending to expand, notwithstanding the steady 
decline in the arable area. In the last twenty years the area under 
these grasses and clover has been reduced, though there has 
been some increase since the war. The average acreage under 
clover and rotation grasses and under tillage from 1871-75 to 
1921-25 together with the total arable acreage, is shown in the 
following table :— 
Average 
of years. 
1871-1875 
1881-1885 
1891-1895 
1901-1905 
1906-1910 
1911-1915 
1916-1920 
1921-1925 
1925 
Clover and 
rotation 
oTasses. 
Thousands 
of acres. 
3.051 
2,914 
3,044 
3,140 
2,801 
2,474 
2,378 
2,515 
2.574 
Land under 
the plough 
“ Hllage.”’ 
Thousands - 
of acres. 
1Y,715 
10,833 
9,632 
8,774 
8,643 
2,657 
9,427 
8,629 
8,108 
Total arable 
Crops. 
Thousands 
of acres. 
14,766 
13,747 
12,676 
11,914 
11,444 
11.130 
11,805 
11,144 
10,682 
Percentage 
of rotation 
grasses to 
total arable. 
or 
20-66 
21-20 
24-01 
26-36 
24-48 
22-23 
20-14 
22-57 
24-09 
The bulk of the reduction in the total arable area as compared 
with 1871-75 is attributable to the decline in wheat, barley and 
turnips. - Oats and potatoes have increased, and this also applies 
to mangolds though the alteration has not been very marked. 
ACREAGE UNDER VARIOUS Crops, 1871-1925. 
(Thousands of acres.) 
Average of 
years. 
1871-75 
1881-85 
1891-95 
1901-05 
1906-10 
1911-15 
1916-20 
1921-25 
1925 
Wheat. 
3,404 
2,646 
1,907 
1,594 
i,679 
1,877 
2,097 
1,746 
1,500 
Barley. 
2,115 
2,034 
1,881 
1,641 
1,501 
1,435 
1,488 
1,352 
1.318 
Oats. 
1,664 
1,870 
2,116 
2,134 
2,104 
2,022 
2,392 
2,039 
1.868 
1 
Other 
corn, 
914 
692 
530 
464 
502 
498 
561 
588 
496 
Total 
COrn Crops. 
8,097 
7,242 
6,434 
5,833 
5,786 
5,832 
6,538 
5,725 
5.182 
5