21 



best return. If barley one year be the most bene- 

 ficial crop, farmers, where the nature of the soil 

 permits, will cultivate more of it ; thus the supply 

 of that particular grain is increased, and the pro- 

 portions restored. Perhaps it will be said, that 

 the price of meat and cheese, &c., is not influenced 

 by the price of wheat, and that, therefore, the 

 rent of grass land will not fall in proportion to the 

 fall in the value of wheat ; that it is not correct 

 to state, because the price of grain may fall 15 per 

 cent., that the price of all agricultural produce 

 would fall in proportion. During the last year, 

 the price of meat has not been in proportion to 

 the price of wheat ; but this has arisen from an 

 accidental cause. I will admit, however, that it 

 may not be quite right to state that the price of 

 meat and cheese are governed by the price of 

 wheat, but that they are influenced by it, there 

 cannot be a doubt ; and would be governed by it, 

 if the importation of corn were prohibited, both 

 from our own Colonies, and from other countries. 

 But, as this is not the case, in estimating the re- 

 duction in the rental value of land, I will not 

 proceed on the supposition, that, because grain is 

 reduced 15 per cent., that produce generally will 

 be affected to the same extent. Conceding this 

 point, and assuming that the general depreciation 

 would not be more than 10 per cent., what effect 

 would this have upon the rental value of land 

 varying in fertility ? 



As in the first example, the general fall in 

 c 3 



