130 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



SECTION 2. Landed Property will increase in Value and 

 Rents accordingly. 



That land must continue to rise in value in this country is, I think, 

 .without a doubt, and that for several reasons, to the principal of which 

 I shall only refer namely, the limited extent of our island, taken in 

 conjunction with its increase in population and wealth. This is one of 

 the strongest points in proof ; for with the increase in population and 

 wealth there will of course be a corresponding demand for land and its 

 produce, while it is clear that no increase can take place in the extent 

 of our country. Looking at "the extent of our island, it is but a small 

 patrimony for such a people as we are even at the present time ; and 

 gradually as we become more numerous, it must become, as it were, still 

 more limited for us, and every available foot of soil must become more 

 and more precious. Altogether, our island is not much larger than one 

 of the many valleys in America. That of the Ottawa, in Canada, for 

 example, embraces about eighty thousand square miles, while England 

 and Scotland together contain only about ninety thousand square miles. 

 Even in a new and thinly-peopled country such as Canada, where there 

 is a vast extent of available territory yet unexplored, land is rapidly 

 rising in value ; as in most settled parts that which only a few years 

 ago could have been got for a few shillings per acre now costs as many 

 pounds, and in not a few cases land has even risen to as high a price 

 as it is in this country. Now, looking at these facts in connection 

 with the industry of a comparatively poor people like those who 

 inhabit Canada, and who have a boundless territory of excellent land 

 in a good climate to lay hold on for use as it may be found necessary, 

 and applying them to our own position as one of the most industrious 

 and wealthy people in the world, having only a limited extent of land 

 to use, some of it not favourably situated in regard to climate, and all 

 long ago taken up for use in one way or another, what conclusion can 

 we come to other than that the land must continue to rise in value ? 

 This is a matter demanding the most serious consideration of all who 

 are interested in the welfare of the landed property of this country ; for 

 unless decided steps are taken, not only to improve our system of 

 agriculture, whereby a much greater amount of produce may be obtained 

 from our limited surface, but also to bring into use a greater breadth of 

 arable lands for improvement from those which are still lying waste and 

 comparatively unproductive, we must become more and more dependent 

 on foreign supplies, which is not desirable. Looking at the steady 



