1 68 THE LANDED INTEREST. 



common in this country twenty-five years ago. 

 But the cost of production has since that time 

 very considerably increased. Rent and rates 

 have risen, and the cost of maintenance and 

 repairs. Wages have increased to the individual, 

 but labour-saving machines have fully met this 

 advance. I have now before me the accounts 

 of a large corn farm within twenty miles of 

 London, on which the labour bill averages 523. 

 an acre, from which it has very little varied, and 

 not increased, for twenty years. If that land is 

 to be kept in its present management, the cost 

 of labour cannot be much altered. Higher farm- 

 ing has induced heavier expenditure in feeding 

 stuffs and manure. We have been forcing the 

 ground in this country beyond its natural power, 

 and so long as the cost of transport from abroad 

 exceeded the cost of this operation it was profit- 

 able. The average yield of wheat per acre in 

 America has been twelve bushels, against which 

 our superior produce of twenty-eight bushels, 

 plus the cost of transport, afforded us a safe 

 margin. But this " fertile belt " of the Canadian 

 north-west is said to give naturally a crop of 



