INFLUENCE OF GENERAL PROSPERITY. 29 

 than one-third of the people of this country the capital 



value of 



consumed animal food more than once a week, live-stock, 

 Now, nearly all of them eat it, in meat, or 

 cheese, or butter, once a day. This has more 

 than doubled the average consumption per 

 head ; and when the increase of population is 

 considered, has probably trebled the total con- 

 sumption of animal food in this country. The 

 increased supply has come partly from our own 

 fields, but chiefly from abroad. The leap which 

 the consumption of meat took in consequence of 

 the general rise of wages in all branches of trade 

 and employment, could not have been met 

 without foreign supplies, and these could not 

 have been secured except by such a rise of 

 price as fully paid the risk and cost of transport. 

 The additional price on the home-produce was 

 all profit to the landed interests of this country, 

 and is now being shared among them, partly in 

 rise of rent, partly in increase of profit, and 

 chiefly in rise of wages and expenses, and local 

 rates. Within the last twenty-five years, the 

 capital value of the live stock of the United 

 Kingdom has risen from one hundred and 



