364 SITUATION OF SETTLERS WITHOUT CAPITAL. 



industrious, but making allowance for stumps, fences, and 

 roads, the actual surface in crop will not exceed twenty acres. 

 At this time, near the end of the fifth year, when the fourth 

 crop is reaped, the purchase-money, and interest on it, will 

 amount to about L.200. The interest of this sum at the rate 

 of the country is L.I 2, and a burden on the land in crop of 

 more than 10s. an acre, which it cannot meet. In this esti 

 mate there is no return made for forest land, which is generally 

 as unproductive of grass as the surface of the sea. It is the 

 quantity of land purchased which operates so unfavourably on 

 the settler. If, in the case chosen for illustration, 50 had been 

 purchased instead of 200 acres, the result would have been 

 very different. It is seldom a person depending on his labour 

 clears and cultivates more than 40 acres in course of his life. 

 Therefore 50 acres is a sufficient extent for such a character 

 to buy, and under no circumstances ought lie to exceed 100 

 acres. 



In the case where the purchase-money has been paid, the 

 settler finds himself but indiiferently off, and generally indebt 

 ed to store-keepers. It must, however, be kept in view, that 

 the land which has been cleared is of considerable value, and 

 at the end of the fifth or sixth year, an industrious man may 

 have his property worth much more money than he paid 

 for it. 



There is never any hesitation in selling land to&quot;a man with 

 out capital, as the rights of it are withheld. Every tree which 

 is cut down enhances the value of the property, which is 

 unproductive while they are standing. When]&quot; a settler 

 absconds after some years residence, a case by no means rare, 

 the proprietor derives great advantage from his operations. 

 An agent to a very extensive and wild property? informed me 

 he had sold twenty-five lots of land, consisting of about 6000 

 acres, and received in all of purchase-money L.300. 



If the sketch which I have given of settlers without capital 

 is thought to be overdrawn, from the fact of so many indivi 

 duals having become prosperous, let it be remembered * that 

 land was formerly granted on paying fees of office, and with 

 out purchase. The system of selling land on credit, and con- 



