156 Rents, Wages, and Profits in Agriculture 



last half century, and especially during the 

 last thirty years (or we may say the present 

 generation), England has become more and 

 more an importer of food of all kinds. It 

 is not necessary to repeat the familiar 

 figures. It follows, however, that so long 

 as agricultural improvements continue, not 

 only in this country but in others, and 

 so long as in the food-producing countries 

 the supplies increase faster than the surplus 

 population, as in Canada and Argentina, 

 so long we must expect that, as regards 

 the great food staples, there will be a 

 decrease in the employment of agricultural 

 labour in this country. The fundamental 

 fact we have to face is that more and 

 more in the course of progress, agriculture 

 produces a greater amount of food at a 

 less expenditure of labour. No doubt, if 

 we take a limited amount of land, and 

 try with the same methods to increase the 



