87 



*' still it well deserves the attention of the Committee, that the 

 u most able writer on the subject of corn, expressly states the in- 

 c * finite consequence resulting from so small a proportion, rela- 

 ** tive to the growth, as one thirty-second. He states what he 

 *' conceives to be the growth of corn, and proportions it to the 

 " greatest exportation ever known, as well as a smaller exporta- 

 " tion. In one case he mentions, the amount being only one 

 '* thirty-second part of the growth, and in another if I recollect 

 " right a thirty-fourth, and yet he draws the conclusion with 

 il some expression of surprise, of what prodigious consequence 

 " to the agriculture of the kingdom, that small export has been. 

 " Now, by a fair parity of reasoning, we may take the converse 

 i4 of the proposition, and suppose the deprivation of one sixteenth 

 *' would, on the other hand, be attended with very great and con- 

 (t siderable consequence." Evidence of Mr Ar. Young. App. 

 <o Rep. p. 104. 



NOTE (C). p. 26. 



With regard to the inclosure and improvement of wastes, I 

 think the rule I have laid down in the text is the only safe and 

 proper one ; namely, that it ought to be left entirely to indi- 

 vidual interest and evertion, and neither encouraged nor repres- 

 sed by the legislature. All unnecessary obstacles to it, however, 

 should be removed; and these, by the present law of England, are 

 perhaps rather too great, from the expence of a direct applica- 

 tion to Parliament for every inclosure, and the opportunity 

 which this gives to ignorant or obstinate individuals to thwart 

 the measure. By the law of Scotland, the division of common 

 property among circumjacent proprietors, according to their re- 

 spective interests, is a statutory right, which may be enforced by 

 any of them before the courts of justice. If a general inclosure 

 bill went no further than to give some such facility in England, 

 it might probably be of advantage. 



Mr A. Young, has of late years (not very consistently with 

 his former sentiments) urged the improvement of wastes, or til- 

 lage of grass lands, by some sort of legislative encouragement. 

 But supposing such encouragement raised so absurdly high as 

 to force the improvement of wastes to any material extent, what 

 would be the consequence ? the remaining farmers must be dis- 

 couraged, in exact proportion to the quantity of grain newly 

 raised, and the fall of prices thereby occasioned, and they, of 

 course, will give up cultivation to that extent. The culture will 

 thus only be transferred from better land to worse, and^the same 

 quantity of grain will continue to be raised, but at a greater ex- 



