Waste, water, and road, 1,000,000|
----------- -----------
39,000,000 37,319,231

The estimate of 1696 may be corrected by lessing the quantity of
waste land, and thus bringing the total to correspond with the
extent ascertained by actual survey, but it shows a decrease in the
extent under grain of nearly two million acres, and an increase in
the area applicable to cattle of nearly 8,000,000 acres; yet there
is a decrease in the number of cattle, though an increase in sheep.
The returns are as follows:

1696. 1800. 1874.
Cattle 4,500,000 2,852.428 4,305,440
Sheep 11,000,000 26,148,000 19,859,758
Pigs 2,000,000 (not given) 2,058,791

The former shows that in 1696 there were TEN MILLION acres under
grain, the latter only EIGHT MILLION acres. Two million acres were
added for cattle feeding. The former shows that the pasture land
was TEN MILLION ACRES, and that green crops and clover were
unknown. The latter that there were TWELVE MILLION ACRES under
pasture, and, in addition, that there were nearly THREE MILLION
ACRES of green crop and THREE MILLION ACRES of clover. The addition
to the cattle-feeding land was eight million acres; yet the number
of cattle in 1696 was 4,500,000, and in 1874, 4,305,400. Of sheep,
in 1696, there were 11,000,000, and in 1874, 19,889,758. The
population had increased fourfold, and it is no marvel that meat is
dear. It is the interest of agriculturists to KEEP DOWN THE
QUANTITY AND KEEP UP THE PRICE. The diminution in the area under