PRICE OF LABOUR. 1,51 



ty nothing more, and even that with toil and 

 difficulty. It is the danger of this inconveni- 

 ence, that induces me to think renting land 

 is in the first instance safer and more advisa- 

 ble. 



It is generally supposed that the high price 

 of labour in America, operates as a drawback 

 in the business of farming but there are com- 

 pensating circumstances which, in the consi- 

 deration of this matter, ought to be kept in 

 view. 



Although the nominal price of a day's la- 

 bour is greater in America than in Britain, 

 the quantum of labour purchased by it is also 

 greater. 



Thus, at Geneseo, I found a labourer's 

 wages to be about 3s. per diem, with board 

 and lodging, but, then, let it be considered 

 what he gives in return : he works from sun- 

 rise to sunset, with short intervals for break- 

 fast and dinner or he ploughs two acres a- 

 day or in a day he mows between two and 

 three acres of wheat, or two acres of clover 

 and one man takes charge of as many as 2000 



