Agricultural Capital and Profits 73 



have been to have thus effectively kept in 

 a state of independence a population which 

 has increased with so great a degree of 

 rapidity. To show this fact, the one article 

 of wheat has been selected because it is 

 that which is most generally consumed in 

 England ; but the position advanced would 

 be found to hold equally good were we 

 to go through the whole list of the con- 

 sumable products of the earth. The supply 

 of meat during the years comprised in the 

 inquiry has certainly kept pace with the 

 growth of population ; and as regards this 

 portion of our food our home agriculturalists 

 have, during almost the whole period — i.e.^ 

 1800- 1846 — enjoyed a strict monopoly." — 

 (Porter, p. 141.) 



As the opinion is of present interest, I 

 may again refer to Porter's view of the 

 policy of protection to agriculture during 

 this period. Great as this increase in 



