COLONIAL INDUSTRY. 155 



water. The absence of springs, however, in a 

 level country, is no evidence that water is 

 beyond the reach of art. Many millions of 

 acres on the globe once presented a busy scene 

 of industry ; but have become a parched wilder- 

 ness since they were deserted by the art of man, 

 and probably were so before they were reclaimed 

 by his labours. It is more than probable, we 

 think, from the partial manner in which this 

 immense extent of our dominions has been ex- 

 plored, that the conclusions of geographers 

 relative to its being unfit ever to support a 

 dense population are erroneous, and that the 

 opposite may turn out to be true. A 20-acre 

 farm cultivated by the spade or on the horti- 

 cultural system may produce more human food 

 under such a climate where water can be had, 

 than a 100-acre one in Britain or Canada with 

 the plough. 



In the United Kingdom there are 53,363 

 gardeners. If we take the total in Britain at 

 70,000, the whole population of this class at 

 300,000, the decennial increase at 14 per cent, 

 then the increase which would remain as surplus 

 stock for emigration may be stated at 4200 an- 

 nually, or 2100 young gardeners, each having a 

 sister. There can be no doubt that were these 



