BY R. M. JOHNSTON, F.L.S. 



Nothing could more plainly reveal the general tendency of 

 modern agriculture than these figures. It shows clearly, so 

 far as the United Kingdom is concerned, that progress in 

 improved modes of cultivation means : — Increased capital, 

 increased products, cheaper food, increase of hands in other 

 occupations, and a gradual decrease in the hands employed in 

 agricultural pursuits, associated with a general decrease in 

 the amount of pauperism. Employment upon the land, 

 therefore, is lessened relatively by every advance made in the 

 modes of culture, and is blocked absolutely so far as many 

 populous countries are concerned by limits of space available 

 for cultivation of any kind. Unless, therefore, a country like 

 the United Kingdom takes a backward step in mode of 

 cultivating the land, she cannot, while foreign products are of 

 necessity admitted freely, place more than 5-35 hands upon 

 each 100 acres in cultivation. No legislation under such 

 conditions, made with the view of giving facilities for land 

 ownership, can affect the numbers that may be employed. 

 It is conceivable that the lot of the worker may by such 

 means be ameliorated or improved, but legislation within a 

 freetrade border cannot enlarge the field of employment for 

 the agricultural labourer. Nor under any circumstances 



