Cost of Transport Equal to Rent. 7 



nation to get the surplus from the richer lands of 

 America and Southern Russia, where the virgin 

 soil is still unexhausted ; or from the more 

 ancient agriculture of India, which, with its 

 cheap and abundant labour more skilfully 

 applied, and its means of transport extended 

 and better utilised, seems destined to become 

 one of the principal sources of our future supply 

 of corn. 



The cost of carriage depends very much on Cost of 



carriage 



distance, and as the chief supply of wheat comes equal to 



the rent of 



from great distances — California, the Black Sea, '^"'^ ^^ 



England. 



and India — the cost of transporting a quantity 

 equal to the produce of an acre in England is 

 seldom less, and often more, than 40s. Hay and 

 straw are so bulky that they can only bear the cost 

 of carriage from near Continental ports. Fresh 

 meat from America, from the costly methods 

 necessary to preserve it, will, on the produce of 

 an acre, cost equal to 40s. for transport to this 

 country. This natural protection enjoyed by 

 the British farmer in his proximity to the home 

 market, as compared with the foreign farmer 

 who seeks our market for his produce, thus 



