108 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



4 acres, 4 persons in family j 3 acres, 6 persons in family ; 



g it y tt a a 5 u 9 &quot; li il 



5 &quot; 7 &quot; (( 5 &quot; 6 u a li 



39 persons ; 28 acres. 



I submit these facts to my American friends as exceedingly 

 curious. With us the land is not locked up by patents, entail, or 

 mortmain. With us land is every where attainable, and at prices 

 which bring it within the reach of every industrious and frugal 

 man. But it will, I think, be interesting to look at these humble 

 instances of domestic economy ; and they must stimulate the 

 most useful inquiry into the productive capacities of the land, 

 which seem as yet to be very imperfectly developed. We are, 

 likewise, not without our poor in the United States ; and the vast 

 influx of destitute emigrants is constantly augmenting the number. 

 For idleness and profligacy there is no just claim upon public 

 compassion ; but I am convinced that a considerable portion of 

 the poor would be glad to earn their own living if they could be 

 put in the way of doing it. Whatever contributes to this object 

 confers a public benefit. 



It would be wrong for me to quit this topic without adding, 

 that, since my First Report, I have visited portions of the country 

 where, on the estates of some very large proprietors, (to one of 

 whom the United States and Great Britain are under the highest 

 obligations for adjusting their conflicting claims, and through 

 whose beautiful grounds I rode eight continuous miles,) the 

 cottages of the laborers were of the very best description ; and 

 their establishments, both within and without doors, indicated the 

 greatest neatness and comfort. Gardens for fruit, vegetables, and 

 flowers, were attached to all of them ; and they were charming 

 pictures of rural taste and embellishment. Many of these persons 

 had likewise small allotments of land. The wages paid to the 

 men were from 10s. to 12s. per week, and to the women 8d. 

 per day while at work. This, of course, however, with the 

 current expenses of living, did not allow them to accumulate any 

 thing for sickness or old age. During the four weeks of harvest, 

 by working by the piece, the laborer would sometimes earn more 

 than 20 s. per week ; and the women and children, by gleaning the 

 scattered heads of wheat after the field is cleared of the crop, or, as 



