Consumption of Corn in Great Britain, Sec. 295 



whole ; in the Annals of Agriculture, Vol. 24, is given an enumeration 

 of its extent in the different counties, amounting to upwards of 6 millions 

 of acres; to preserve even numbers, suppose - - 6,134,000 



Remains cultivated land, Acres 26,000,000 



Agreeing exactly with the estimate before formed from consumption; from 

 which it appears, that the produce of the land under its present cultivation, is upon 

 a balance with the consumption ; and that it fluctuates to plenty or scarcity, 

 merely by the impulse of a good or bad season. 



Hence also appears the necessity, both of bringing more -land into cultivation, 

 and of improving that already in hand. This necessity will increase annually, and be 

 more particularly felt in unproductive seasons, and particularly in the article of 

 grain, whenever the whole produce shall fall considerably below average. 



Mr. Malthus, in his Essays on Population, has brought out some remarkable, 

 and rather striking conclusions ; heretofore but little attended to, one of which is, 

 that the prolific principle, or power of increase, throughout all animated nature, 

 is greater, or operates faster than the means of subsistence ; this principle wisely 

 implanted by the Creator, to balance accidents, and insure the continuation of every 

 species, is checked amongst animals by their being devoured by men, or by each 

 other, or every pasture would be soon overstocked, unless checked by some 

 extraordinary mortality; in the human species this tendency to increase is in pro- 

 portion to the means of subsistence, or the ease and f.icility with which the neces- 

 saries and comforts of life can be acquired. Where no physical difficulties of this 

 kind lie in the way, it has been calculated that the population of a country may be 

 doubled in fifteen or twenty years; that of the Amtiican states is said to double in 

 twenty-five years ; and that of England as stated before, has been lately annually 

 increasing, the one hundred and twentieth part of the whole, which if continued 

 would double in eighty three years and a half. 



It remains therefore to increase our sujplies, not only for the present demand, but 

 for one increasing in an accelerated proportion ; a community can never be at a 

 stand, or become stationary, without beingin real distress ; because nothing but real 

 distress can produce such an effect. It is in ihe nature of al! animated beings to be 

 in motion, and of all well organized societies to increase and improve, and v/hicb, 

 the means being in their power, is one main end of their existence. 



