CONDITION OF AGRICULTURE. 311 



THE CONDITION OF AGRICULTURE. 



From an Address before the Middlesex North Societj. 



BY HON. TAPPAN \VENT"WORTH. 



A reference to some statistics of European agriculture, for 

 comparison with our own, will enable us the better to under- 

 stand the condition of husbandry in this country, and the 

 necessity as well as the obvious means of its improvement. 

 Those of Great Britain, to whose wealth the increased produc- 

 tion of her land has so largely contributed, are the most acces- 

 sible and the most valuable. An examination of these statis- 

 tics will also show us that whilst, from obvious causes, we are 

 greatly behind England in agricultural productions, we are 

 still far in advance of many of our sister States ; and the reci- 

 tal will add to the proofs already multiplied of the effect of 

 necessity, capital and science upon this important branch of 

 human industry. 



A late classification of the lands of three of the important 

 nations of Europe, — Great Britain, France and Austria, — 

 makes one-fifth of the surface in each to be heath, marsh, com- 

 mon and unproductive. But the superior density of popula- 

 tion in Great Britain has brought 75 per cent, of her land into 

 cultivation, while France has but 63 per cent, and Austria but 

 53. Great Britain has in forest one-twentieth of its surface ; 

 France has more than one-sixth, and Austria more than one- 

 fourth. 



England has been induced to convert her marshes and for- 

 ests into pasture in consequence of the high price of butcher's 

 meat, wool and hides, and her immense coal fields have enabled 

 her to do this with entire safety to the wants of her population. 



It is difficult and perhaps impossible to ascertain the exact 

 quantity of soil under cultivation in the three countries. One 



