HC Deb 15 November 1911 vol 31 cc486-7W
Mr. GINNELL

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state, in statute acres, the estimated amount of arable land in Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Ireland, respectively, with the latest estimate of the amount in tillage, the number of horses, cattle, and pigs, and the population of those countries, respectively?

Mr. ACLAND

I have been requested by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to answer this question. The statement below will, I hope, give the hon. Member the information he desires:—

Arable Land (including fruit area). Tillage. Horses. Cattle. Pigs. Population.
Acres. Acres. No. No. No.
Belgium (1909) 3,152,511 2,739,667 (a) 255,229 1,865,833 1,116,500 7,386,444
Holland (1910) 2,331,520 2,144,981 327,377 2,026,943 1,259,844 5,853,037
Denmark (see Note) 6,227,566 3,753,935 535,018 2,253,982 1,467,822 2,726,000
Ireland (1911) 4,943,809 2,348,821 (b) 543,136 4,711,720 1,415,119 4,381,951
(a) Used for agriculture. (b) Horses used for agriculture, unbroken horses and mares kept for bleeding.
NOTE.—(1) The figures for Denmark for arable land and tillage are for 1907; for live stock fur 1909, and for population for 1910.
(2) The figures relating to tillage in foreign countries have been adjusted so as to make them as nearly as possible comparable with the figures for Ireland, where the term is used in a somewhat special sense.
(3) The hon. Member will find much useful information bearing on his question in Part IV. of the Agricultural Statistics, published annually by the Board.