6 APRIL 1872, Page 3

It appears from the Agricultural Returns that Great Britain, -with

her 25,000,000 of people, has only 30,838,567 acres under -cultivation, of which only 9,675,261 acres are under corn, and 12,435,442 under permanent pasture, the remainder being clover, green crops, and fallow. The total number of horses was 2,110,590, -of cattle 5,337,759, of sheep 27,119,569, and of pigs 2,499,602. These figures are exclusive of Ireland, and show a decrease on the year of 12,000 horses, 65,000 cattle, and 1,278,000 sheep. This -decrease of sheep has been continuous, the falling off since 1868 -being 3,592,000, or 12 per cent. which will explain, in part at least, -the price of mutton.