The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-02
1926

srrs Of AN increasn noDuatIon has been very great
and the supply of labor has outrun the uenano' 50
much SO that the constant call uPo" ''o parishes o'
the aupport of the poor has been very great ana as
a conssnuence the possessOrs OF the soil, upon
whom, the cost of supporting the poor mainly falls,
have had not only the slmulant OF humanity Out OF
nscnniarv interest to find for that labor employment,
Which generally coad be commanded for the sup
nort Of the laboreT. Ia addition TO all this, the
prce ofasrcullura produce in Great Britain for the
ut fifty years has been very high In August,
1895, wheat 1855 4d. per quarter a quarter Is
bushels, and shilling is little more than "a cts
The price fell, in consequence OF ABUNDANT haryess,
for the two succeeding years. but rose again IN June,
1900 70 l34s Sd the quarter but, in December fell
to 1885. In March, 1901 twas l55s The prices
hucuated with the seasons, but the average for the
ten years from 1895 to 1905, was els. In the ten
years ending 1915, the harvests had been uniayoTa-
bic, In August 1912, wheatwas l55s' the quarter
Coineident with unfavorable seasons there was du-
ring this period superadded the effects Of the great
wars in which Eng land was engaged, which by inn
peding commercial intercourse, cut off foreign sup
plies Average price for ten years, 97s. 3D.
These high prices and the stagnation OF CONNER
cial and manufacturing enterprise during the war
stimulated cultivation, and from 1904 to 1914 the
royal assent was given to l,064 enclosure bills.
great deal Of land, unsuited to cultivation, put
in grsin-downs only fit for sheep walks were con-
verted into corn-6elds, which, after the conclusion
Of peace were thrown out Of cultivation again. And
In the ten years ending 1926 the average price
7Ss 3d. per quarter; for the ten years ending 1895,
It Sos I'd and for the ten years ending lS4S,
SIS. lid, or a little more than 81 IS per bushel
With these admitted facts staring us in the face,
there are few who will doubt that cultivation has
been extended nearly to its utmost lim, believe
that, after the repeal OF the corn la u.s. cultivation
will be much more extended.
The gentleman tells about boys to be reclaimed,
and barren hlsides to be converted into fruitful
a. -. -. ALL - an. h.fnE adj have
seen formidable array Of the number Of acres Of
land IN Great Britain which not cultivated AT
ter the statements ! have made, who will believe
rha; there be much land fl for cultivation unoc-
cupIedl The lands referred TO precptate and
rocky hlllsdes, unfit for cultivation salt Marshes
which are either irreclamabe, not TO be reclaim
ed except at too great cost; highways and commons
dedicated 10 the public nobemen's and gentle
mems parks and pleasure-grounds.
As 10 the last, IL is not 10 be expected that they
will be curtsled The Englishman looks upon his
old baronlal halls and ancestral oaks sacred
things, not to be touched by the ruthless hand OF
innovation fOndness for these thiRgs is national
taste. And as the population and wealth OF the
kingdom increases, the probability is that a larger
rather than less extent of land will lie occupied IN
this way. man who has grown rich in commerce
adds TO his consequence by becoming land propr-
etor with his parks and grounds. These things
are luxures which indu ged in without reference
the loss thereby incurred; but they not en-.
urey prohueSs. Il he parks are gru2eu, ana WOOD
is got from them; and the difference in mere prohl
not great TO hold out any great nducemenr
10 sacrhce taste.
As to the FIRST the fact that it has remained so
long uncultlvated, when there were such strong
inducements to cultivation shows that il cannot be
cultivated with profit. What do we mean when We
say land cannot be cultivated with profG As long
and will yield more :han will pay for the cult.
yauon, 1t will yield profit. In country like
England, where there is suPerabundance of labor
II can always he commanded for support. When
therefore, IN such a country, you say land cannot be
cultivated with profit you only say that it will yield
no more than a support To the aborers employed in
It's cultivation. You may extend the cultivation OF
such land indefinitely, and you do not add TO the
available surplus of provisions You add to the
employment Of labor, but you do more. Why
have heard it said by persons well informed, tina
the Two thousand Of miles of railroads lately au
thorzed in England will occupy, estimating quant-
ty and quality, more land than now remains TO bt
cultivated.
But the gentleman argues that the improvement
IN the cultivation of the land will keep pace with tn,
increased demand for provisions; and he calculates
upon the saving ct five millions in an improved mode
OF seeding alone! have doubt that improve
ments in agriculture in Engan will continue t.
lie nude; but l have no idea they will keep pact
with the increasing demands of growing popula
uon. We have already seen that the imports o.
provisions have been progressively increasing fo
Fifty years England Is already cultivated like
garden, and the average produce of wheat per acre
including all the land In cultivation in the kingdom
and all the accidents and casualties, Is % bush,
els per acre. On the good land 1t is a vast dea
more. There Is IA point beyond which agricultural
Improvement cannot CO. and the farmers oil
this country can judge whether when the aver.
age product of the land including good, bad
and Indifferent, has reached twenty eight BUSH
els per acre, that point has not been nearly attained
Besides, we have seen that the population is in
creAsing rapidly and that that increase alone will
require an increased supply of 6,S00000 bushels OF
grain annually. Population for the last fifty wears
has been constantly growing upon production, and
IN the future 1t will do so more rapidly. In an in
crease of population there is laid the foundation oil
still greater lncreasej population increase in ge.
ometrca ratio, subsistence can only proceed in an
arIthmetcaI ratio. While population puts on its
sevenIeague boots and advances at the rate of l. 2
l,S, l6, 81, "a; or, in other words, according 10
my friend from Indiana Mr.. KENsEDY's multpli-
cation table, a laugh no science or skill can add
10 the means of subsistence at a greater rate
than the sober pace Of |, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, T. So that
population outstrps production than nine
to one. England and still more this country, is q
striking eXemPllhcatlon of this In the former
Notwithstanding improvements In agriculture and adj
ditIonaI lands have been brought into cultivation
the supply of the means Of subsistence has kept
pace with the Increased demands of an nugmenting
populations; and in this country, notwithstandi ng
the virgin soil constantly brought into cultivation
the increased supplies have the increased
demand Considering the great extent of uncultiva-
ted land this only be accounted for in this country
by the great encouragement which has been given to
other pursuits of industry at the expense Of agri
culture But IN England the reverse is the case
In future insist that the supply in England will
not keep pace with the demand. Whereas here, in
consequence of the vast of either
or badly cultivated land, the reverse will for many
years be the case, if the government will only allow
the agrculturist fair chance"
We have thus seen that England is constantly
requiring increased supplies of provisions, and tina
they are not to be looked for in adequate quantities
either from the continent, or in improvements ex
tension of her own agriculture. How will it be at
to Ireland' Heretofore England has drawn larg,
supplies from there. Are they likely increase o,
fall off Her population is constantly increasing
and for a number Of years her exports to England
have been falling off Besides this for the last few
GEOGRAPHICALLY the last year-potatoes, her grea
article of food-the exclusive article of food, It is
said, of 10000 Of her people-has been subject
to great destruction from disease. This has been