WAGES 17 



manner demanded by our plants. In the arctic and 

 subarctic regions the amount of solar radiation, while 

 sufficient for some forms of plant-life, is insufficient 

 for those which constitute our food. Again, when 

 sunlight is sufficient some of the ingredients may not 

 be present in the first few inches of the soil — the extent 

 to which the roots of our plants penetrate. Then also 

 the matter for food when present may occur in a form 

 too integrated, such as rock, or too cohesive, such 

 as clay. Sometimes the presence of the ingredients in 

 sufficient quantity is marred by an excess of water, 

 preventing the circulation of air which a plant's roots 

 require ; or the contrary may occur, and water be present 

 in too small an amount to allow of the plant absorbing 

 the matter to hand. 



There are distributed over the world certain patches 

 of surface containing all the ingredients for food in a 

 manner properly disintegrated, supplied with moisture 

 to the requisite degree, and receiving sufficient energy 

 from the sun. The area of this land is considerable, 

 perhaps as a rule about the eighth of a nation's 

 territory. 



Now beyond these portions of the earth's surface 

 which are naturally fitted for the process of food culture 

 there exist many other spots that are capable by human 

 labour and with the assistance of knowledge of being 

 put into a condition suited for the plant's operations. 



Men of course should choose for their operations of 

 culture those portions of land which are ready fitted 

 by nature for the processes of agriculture. And where 

 they do choose such land the extent of their subsistence 

 is governed only by the extent of the power and the 

 nature of the instruments which science gives them. 

 All men naturally would wish to carry on their agri- 

 culture on such land, and there is only one reason which 

 prevents them from doing it, and that is that the amount 



