PRICE OF LABOUR. 151 



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 



