CHAPTER VII. 



RECENT RISE IN THE VALUE OF LAND. 

 Great rise THERE has been, within the last twenty years, 



in the 



value of a very considerable increase in the value of land 



land since 



the repeal Jn this country. The income-tax returns are 



of the Corn 



Laws, only most instructive on this point, and, as they 



partly due f ' > J 



^° ^}^^ r show the rental of land in England, Scotland, 



outlay of & ' ' 



capital in ^^^ Ireland separately, they afford the means of 

 "^'^'^ ^* comparing the rate of improvement in each 

 country. That improvement does not seem to 

 have begun in England till 1858, the gross 

 annual value of "Lands" in 1857 having been 

 returned at ;^ 50,000 less in that year than in 

 1846. From 1858 the rise has been progressive 

 and continuous, and with an average increase of 

 ;^470,ooo a year. The rise seems to have begun 

 somewhat earlier in Scotland, and the average 

 yearly increase has been ^^82,000. The returns 

 from Ireland cannot be distinguished prior to 



