522 
THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
| Auc. 1, 
id almost wholly in permanent. Grass, and dairy farm- 
ing prevails ; in fact, the details formerly given 
(page 485) of sevea farms in an adjacent parish 
may be considered as a fair sample of the whole. 
We believe that of the 230 square miles of which 
the district consists, not above 50 are arable. The 
far greater portion is “cold Grass land," whose 
drainage and cultivation would make all the differ- 
ence between comparative sterility and abundant 
fertility. Large tracts of land in that district do 
not yield’ a gross annual produce worth 45s. per 
acre, of which, perhaps, 12s. go to the farmer, 13s. 
to the labourer, and 20s. to the landowner. Look 
at the following Table, compiied from the results of 
particular enquiry :— 
së 
ge || Division of Acreable Gross. Produce. 
83 : 
22 ir uda co aren “alee 
wae Het | 
um «|| produce. | Labour.| Profit. | Rent. 
s. d. á s. d. | s. d. 
6 43 10 TE 10 |-12' 0 | 20-0 
7 92 3 |45 3 | 15 0| 32 0 
remark on this. The dif- 
ferences it exhibits must not be considered as wholly 
the consequence of arable culture—differences in 
the soil of the two districts must have considerable 
influence—but there is no doubt that permission to 
break up the Grass-lands in district No. 6, if sought 
by, and granted to tenants of capital and skill, would 
be attended by a larger gross produce divisible into 
larger shares, for all the three parties who receive it, 
than is now yielded by even the neighbouring dis- 
trict, which at present so far excels it. 
THE PROFITS OF FARMING. 
Tur following is transcribed from the Leading Article 
of your Gazette of the 25th ult. :— 
*€ You and I cultivate adjoining acres of equal quality; 
you raise 30 bushels on your acre by better manage- 
ment and skill and knowledge than that which enables 
me to grow but 25 on mine. At 6s. a bushel you wil 
make more money than I shall by selling mine at 7s. 
Teach me but your mode of farming, skilful neighbour, 
and with an odd mark of 40 acres I shall jog home from 
the market, where Wheat is selling at 48s. a quarter, a 
* better man’ by 107. than I now do after selling at 56s. 
Sure never was paradox more susceptible of arithmetic ! 
Let the grower of 20 bushels an acre add but 4 bushels 
to his produce by a small accession of skill and know- 
ledge, and he will make more money at 6s. a bushel than 
he made before at 7s.” 
You and I shall be, for the- sake. of explanation, 
respectively called A. and B. . therefore grows 30 
bushels per acre; B. only 25 on 46 acres of land of 
similar quality. Why does A. grow the extra quantity 
of 5 bushels per acre on his 40 acres of land, making in 
all 200 bushels? Not by a “small accession of skill 
and knowledge? only, but because he has expended 
eapital with skill and knowledge, and brought his land 
from a state of nature to a fit state of cultivation, ex- 
pended additional money again in the cultivation of his 
crop by keeping down weeds, the natural produce of the 
soil ; and also additional money in reaping, harvesting, 
and thrashing the extra bulk of corn grown on his land 
to that grown on his neighbour B.'s land. Would it 
not be fair, then, that A. should expeet, on the sale 
of his crop, to obtain more money than B. He would 
be the loser if he did not; yet if he sells his corn ls. 
per bushel cheaper than B., he would not realize so 
much as B.,as I shall endeavour to show. A.’s 40 acres 
ust, in the first instance, be drained at an 
41. per acre, making 160/. 
EL UE C usu o ar BRE UM 
c, hoeing, and weeding, 
ping, harv 
sting, and 
ex 
thrashing, a 
Making .. .. x 
ws cultivation of A.’s 40 acres 
Extra expence of the ye 
of land, and for which he obtains 200 bushels of 
corn more than his neighbour B., which he sells at 
6s. a bushel, making nies MUS 
00 
Deduct ex expences of cultivation as 
shown EM E Sie ES ..£91 0 
Market e es, aud delivering 200 
bushels or 25 quarters EM -. 21090. 33 10 0 
In favour of A. ifhesoldhis corn at the same price as B. £26 10 0 
But B. sells his corn 1s. a bushel dearer than A., 
and grows on his 40 acres of land 1000 bushels ; B. 
therefore obfains for his produce 1000 shillings, or 507. 
more than A. would on a like ‘quantity. 
Which, then, has done best by his crop ; A. who, b; 
his good cultivation, capital, and skill has produced the 
larger crop, or B. who has not applied any extra capi- 
tal, skill, or knowledge, but has obtained for his corn 
ls. a bushel more than his neighbour A. ? 
The account will stand thus :— 
B. produces 1000 bushels at 75. tt 
oduces 1200 at 6s, UN a - £360 00 
"s extra expences of cultivation 
and marketing, as shown. Ve e 
£350 0.0 
$ £33 10 0—326 10 0 
Balance in favour of B. m ee .. £23 10.0 
It may be, and is, true that extra capital, skill, and 
knowledge will employ more labour, and produce more 
eorn, both of whieh may be for the general good ; but 
it is not true that it ought: to enable the producer to sell 
atalower price. Skill and knowledge ought to be paid 
for, and, independently of his extra capital applied, A. 
is entitled to expeet a higher remuneration than his 
less skilful neighbour B., which, however, he does not 
obtain, because in “trying to reduce prices” he has 
overlooked the extra cost he has incurred in producing 
the larger erop, which oversight must sooner or later 
reduce his capital, which is as necessary to successful 
cultivation as skill and knowledge.—G. R. W. 
[The following is from another correspondent on the 
same subjeet.] In your leading article on the 25th of 
July, you state that if one mau raises 30 bushels of 
Wheat on an acre of land, and yet gets but 6s. a bushel 
for them, that he is a richer man than he who only 
grows 25 bushels and gets 7s. You add, we must recog- 
nize our true profit not in the price we can obtain for a 
given quantity, but the amount we can obtain upon a 
given space. There is no denying the truth of these 
Statements, nor will I deny the possibility but that the 
soil of England is eapable of yielding four-fold, or even 
more than what is produced at present. And what you 
think may come to pass, and as you say has arrived in 
many localities, I will grant all this, that science, in- 
dustry, draining, and a long purse would give us food 
from our land ample and sufficient, if well managed, for 
the inereasing population of the kingdom. The time 
may come when the soil may be cultivated generally, 
as we know it is cultivated in some districts partially ; 
but I fear there are so many, so very many causes to 
throw obstacles in the way of this great vision, that the 
great deed will never be accomplished. 
First of all there are the heavy taxes and impositions 
on land. 
2dly. Farmers generally are not well educated, and 
have little knowledge in science or chemistry. 
3dly. A great many farmers hate any kind of innova- 
tion, and say, “my father and his people before him 
lived comfortably on the farm he is now in possession 
of,” and rest satisfied in following out the olden ways. 
4thly. A man on one side the hedge cultivates his land 
to perfection and flourishes, whilst his neighbour on 
the opposite side cultivates his in a manner barely ade- 
quate for him to make the two ends of the year meet. 
It may be from obstinacy and pig-headedness the 
latter will not follow the example shown him ; or it may 
be he has not the means to do what he might wish to do, 
5thly. Can a man farm fairly without capital. 
6thly. Have farmers capital generally ? 
7thly. It is now established as a great fact, that with- 
out draining your land manure and industry availeth 
little ; then drain and drain effectually to carry out the 
desired beauty and productiveness of your land. 
8thly. Who is to do it? 
If the farmer will not or cannot, the landlord must, 
to be sure, for it is his interest he should do so; but 
here again a difficulty arises—can-he?~ Where is the 
money to come from to drain a great breadth of 
land? Grant there is wealth and inclination in large 
store in the country to effect so great an object, yet it 
is only here and there our great landowners could raise 
ready money sum to prosecute largely so rash a 
scheme. Half the landowners in England have no cash 
to spare for experiments. Children growing up, educa- 
tion expensive, &c., &c., precludes them giving their 
tenants such assistance. Some lands are mortgaged so 
deeply, a bare subsistence only is grasped at for a mo- 
derate show of gentility. 
I entertain fully your ideas, with capital, industry, and 
science, that land is a good and profitable mileh cow ; 
but without them, man had better turn his exertions in 
any other channel; but more particularly at this mo- 
ment, when political economists (as they call them. 
selves), are in the ascendant. Now that we see the 
S 
ancient lords of the soil even yielding their opinions to 
the crotchets of a man who has committed an error the 
most fatal, that of taking the brawling part of agitation 
for the deep current of publie opinion.—ZL/. H. B. H., 
July 97. 
[In reference to the communication of “ G. R. W.,’? 
we have only to admit most fully that he has of course 
laid hold of the only method in which the accuracy of 
our statement can be tested. We maintain that on a 
great extent of land the inerease in the productivenessof 
the land of 5 bushels per aere can be attained ata cost on 
the 40 acres whose interest shall not exceed 107annually. 
We should esteem it a very poor result indeed if the 
expensive operation of drainage and of the employment 
of more eapital for the higher cultivation of the land 
thus rendered possible was not followed by a greater 
increase of produce than 5 bushels per acre. ] 
HOW TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE 
AGRICULTURAL LABOURER. 
Iris unnecessary to enter into detail on the present 
state of our agricultural lab ce it to say, 
that it loudly calis for amendment. Although much 
has been done for their improvement and comfort, far 
more yet remains to be done. ‘There are societies 
formed in almost every district of our island for the 
encouragement of their labours by rewarding their dili. 
gence and skill. These “Associations” have done much 
ood by exciting the minds of the farmers in favour of 
their men ; thus leading them to consider more atten- 
tively the condition of those they employ, and, in a great 
multitude of cases, to make some strenuous personal 
efforts to promote their welfare, But, notwithstanding 
so many laudable exertions, the work of reformation is 
yet partial and incomplete ; and though so many bene- 
fits have been conferred on the labouring classes, 
sands of farmers the labourer is felt for and assisted, it 
must after ali be acknowledged that, in a vast number 
of cases, the state of things between master and man 
is wofully defective, and but little good feeling can be 
said to exist. Notwitl ding the end of publie 
bodies, and many generous and noble-minded individuals, 
to diffuse just and benevolent principles relative to this 
subject, the labourer is too often uncared for and neg- 
lected. There are many masters who look down, like 
so many imperious lords, upon their men as being mere 
bondsmen! They feel little or no concern for their 
welfare, make no inquiries concerning the amount of 
their supplies either of necessaries or comforts, and 
consequently whatever may be their distresses, they 
make no effort to alleviate them. However great the 
labourer's hardships or painful his sufferings, they sel- 
dom cast an eye of pity upon him, or lift a hand to 
reduce his misery. They look upon him as an ingenious 
automaton, a serviceable machine ; thus classing him 
among their other useful implements, or animals at 
best—and as such it may, perhaps, be beneficial to their 
poekets to keep him in pretty good working condition. 
** What though he be poor and complain—he was born 
in poverty,” say they, “and the poor will always 
grumble! He must live as he can—it is no business of 
ours.” Thus they consider it a great injustice to be 
called upon to do anything for his benefit beyond the 
payment of niggardly and insufficient wages. Such con- 
duct is evidently neither humane or politic. 
the farmer’s interest to befriend his labourers—the 
are the manufacturers of his profits and prosperity— 
and so from mere selfish considerations, apart from 
better motives, he is the man that should elevate them 
as much as possible in the scale of society. There are 
various ways in which the furtherance of this great 
objeet may be effected, and the farmer has the means 
more especially in his power. He should bring into 
exercise the better feelings of his nature, and treat his 
labourers with the kindness due to fellow-men in every 
respeet needing his help, and who would be grateful 
for it. This good feeling would be mutual; for it is 
extremely gratifying to observe how attached respect- 
able labourers are to a considerate master. They gain 
great benefits from this kindness—for their wants are 
made known and relieved—they find sympathy in family 
distresses, sickness, or calamity—and look up to him as 
their friend, But as the friendliness is mutual, so is the 
advantage — he fears from them no injury, and can rely 
upon them for the careful execution of their various 
employments. He may do much to better their con- 
dition by instituting a system of taskwork through- 
out all his field operations, and by a proper 
mode of payment. Working by the piece gives the 
labourer a feeling of independence ; for he can work at 
what rate he pleases, and his earnings are proportionate 
to his industry. The method of paying partly “in 
kind ? may be found beneficial in isolated and inconve- 
nient situations. It is practised in Scotland and the 
north of England, being well adapted to the simple 
habits and manners of the mountain peasantry. Itin- 
sures the supply of most necessaries to the labourer, 
and promotes that good understanding between master 
nd man which is so desirable. Money-wages, how- 
ever, are by far the most common and most preferable, 
as the labourer is much more independent of the farmer. 
If near to a market-town, the wages ought always to be 
paid on the eve of the market, so that provisions may be 
bought at the cheapest rate. The farmer may do much 
good by ional pecuniar i by lending 
money to his men for the purchase of their chief articles 
of consumption, or selling them pigs or Wheat from 
the farm, to be paid for by instalments. He may also 
benefit them by ineiting them to the acquisition of 
knowledge; by lending them cheap and useful books, 
tracts, and magazines; and urging the attendance of 
their children at the various schools. 
But, besides the benevolent exertions of the farmers, 
there are many public institutions for improving the 
condition of the rural population; and one of the best 
means for accomplishing this object is the general adop- 
tion of the allotment system. 
This system is well known ; it is the letting of small 
plots of land to the labourers. Fields are divided into 
separate allotments of about a quarter or half an acre 
individuals 
= 
each, according to the of the 
and so each of the allottees has a little farm to culti- 
vate. One benefit, therefore, immediately arising is, 
that means are thus furnishedjfor usefully employing 
their spare time. 
It is a general thing for farmers to pay-off many of 
their men on the approach of winter, In consequence 
of this they are obliged to perambulate their immediate 
neighbourhood, or wander to a distance, here and there; 
in search of an odd day’s work, or in hopes of obtaining 
winter employment. This irregular alternation of 
labour and idleness gives an unsteady bias to their 
minds; and meeting with others who are, like them- 
selves, out of work, they lead one another into mischief. 
Even when constantly employed, they could barely pro- 
eure the commonest necessaries of life ; but now they 
subsist upon little, indeed — their families sink into 
deeper distress, and their homes become more miser- 
able. Many have not courage enough to face these 
difficulti f ing the ale-house, add still 
in the path of vice, and they are commonly led on 10 
crime and disgrace. If, then, a man under these eir 
cumstances has an allotment, there will be pong 
to engage his time ; he has the land to dig, the see t 
him. 
poverty and distress still prevail. Although by thou- 
sow, &e. ; and his wife and children may assist 
