LVII

H.—lB

lamb—viz., 10,877 carcases (3,427,236, against 3,416,359 in 1910), while there was a decrease of 195,856 carcases of mutton, or nearly 10 per cent, of total export, as well as a falling-off of 52 per cent, in beef. The increasing population of Europe and America, however, with its greater demand for foodstuffs, must lead to higher prices and thus further stimulate production by inducing economies and a greater intensiveness of cultivation as well as the utilization of new land. The aggregate population of Great Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Austria, Italy, and Spain was 33,600,000 in 1380, 46,700,000 in 1480, 59,250,000 in 1580, 73,032,000 in 1680, 109,881,000 in 1780, 285,134,000 in 1880. The present population of Europe and the United States of America is approximately 500,000,000, and is growing fast. Statistics show that the world's wheat-production during the last ten years has remained almost stationary, whilst the number of consumers of wheat has increased very considerably. Table 47. —Showing the World's Wheat-production. Year. Bushels. 1902 .. .. .. .. .. 3,090,116,000 1903 .. .. .. .. .. 3,189,813,000 1904 .. .. .. .„ .. 3,152,127,000 1905 .. .. .. .. .. 3,225,000,000 1906 .. .. .. .. .. 3,324,000,000 1907 .. .. .. .. .. 3,031,000,000 1908 .. .. .. .. .. 3,079,000,000 1909 .. .. .. .. .. 3,513,000,000 1910 .. .. .. .. .. 3,^26,632,000 * Not*.—The figures for the years 1902-9 are from the United States Agricultural Year-book, and for 1910 from the English Board of Agriculture and Fisheries " Colonial and Foreign Statistics." 4. The possibilities before New Zealand as a food-producer may be understood if we compare her present position with that of Great Britain. Given a plentiful supply of labour and capital and appropriate organization of these factors, there is no reason why ultimately New Zealand may not show a rate of production similar to that of Great Britain. Table 48. —Comparative Statistics of New Zealand and Great Britain, showing the Lands under Cultivation and the Products prom the Land. (New Zealand, area 65,915,520 acres ; England and Scotland, area 56,799,994 acres). 1910—11 1909. N 7eal V 1 Great Britain (Ireland not included). Total area in cultivation .. .. 16,265,890 acres 32,183,073 acres. Acreage under corn crops .. .. 1,015,822 ~ 7,023,101 ~ Acreage under green crops .. .. 713,682 ~ 3,083,901 ~ Permanent pasture .. .. 14,536,386 „ 22,076,071 „ Unimproved, tussock, &o. (undefined) 23,972,236 „ 24,616,921 „ Horses (for agricultural purposes only) 404,284 1,552,993 Cattle .. .. .. .. 2,020,171 7,020,982 Sheep '.. .. .. .. 23,996,126 27,618,419 Pigs .. .. .. .. 348,754 2,380,887 Wheat produce .. .. .. 8,290,221 bushels 61,442,375 bushels. Barley .. .. .. .. 927,112 „ 60,938,561 „ Oats .. .. .. .. 10,118,917 „ 123,025,577 „ Beans .. .. .. .. 72,150 „ 8,937,439 „ Potatoes .. .. .. 141,510 tons 3,674,453 tons. Turnips and swedes .. .. .. 25,123,550 „ Mangold .. .. .. .. 9,570,604 „ Hay, all kinds .. .. .. .. 8,369,451 „ It is not commonly known that Great Britain, with its high density of population, colossal manufacturing interests, and climatic disadvantages necessitating, e.g., stall feeding of cattle in winter, is so highly productive in foodstuffs. 5. The increasing demand for our primary products abroad is reflected in the range of prices. It has not been found possible to get reliable statistics of the average prices paid in London for New Zealand produce over a long period, except

Possibilities of New Zealand as a food-pro-ducer.

Increase of prices abroad

viii—H. 18.