ADVANTAGES TO FARMERS AND LANDLORDS. 



politan population. Milk is thus brought from pastures at great 

 distances from the cities where it is consumed. In Paris the 

 benefits of this have been very conspicuous. 



18. The benefits to farmers and landlords, as well as to the inha- 

 bitants of towns, by carrying extensive lines of railroad through 

 populous districts, connecting them with those places from which 

 supplies of food and other necessaries might be obtained, are 

 always considerable. The factitious value which tracts of land 

 immediately surrounding the metropolis and large towns acquire 

 from the proximity of the markets, is thus modified, and a portion 

 of their advantages transferred to the more remote districts ; thus 

 equalising the value of agricultural property, and rendering it, in 

 a great measure, independent of local circumstances. The profit 

 of the farmer and the rent of the landlord are augmented by the 

 reduced cost of transport, while the price paid by the consumer is- 

 diminished ; the advantages of centralisation are realised without 

 incurring the inconvenience of crowding together masses of people 

 within small spaces, and the whole face of the country is brought 

 to the condition, and made to share the opportunities of improve- 

 ment which are afforded by a metropolis and by towns of the larger 

 class. 



19. Steam navigation affords many striking examples of like 

 advantages obtained in the transport of perishable productions. 



Pines are now sold in the markets of England which are brought 

 from the "West Indies ; various sorts of fruits are likewise brought 

 from the countries on the coast of Europe which could not be 

 transported in sailing vessels, as they would not keep during the 

 voyage. Oranges are sent in large quantities from the Havannah 

 to New Orleans and Mobile, in the United States : when they are 

 brought by sailing vessels, a large proportion of the cargo is lost by 

 the destruction and deterioration of the fruit; when sent by 

 steamers, they arrive sound. 



The utility of an article often depends on its place. Thus, what 

 is useless at one part of the world will become eminently valuable 

 if transmitted to another. "We have already given examples of 

 this in the case of agricultural manures. Others present them- 

 selves. Ice at mid-winter in Boston, Halifax, or St. John's, has 

 no value ; but this ice, properly packed and embarked, is trans- 

 mitted to the Havannah or Calcutta, where a price is readily 

 obtained for it which pays with profit the cost of the voyage. 



Like all the other effects of improved transport, this reacts and 

 produces collateral benefits. The ships thus enabled to go to 

 Calcutta laden with a cargo which costs nothing and produces a 

 considerable profit, instead of going in ballast, which would be 

 attended with a certain expense, return with cargoes which again 



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