conx. — llarveti — Food> 159 



of the land from the first existed, and still exist. Afe 

 number of small proprietors who can do no moretltaa 

 support a family on the surplus produce, after paying 

 quit-rent, will hear rather a large prop >rtiju to the 

 more substantial land-owners. 



It is natural to suppose that the capita) accumulat- 

 ed by the latter, joined to llie necessities of the fortnsr, 

 will gradually swallow up these smaller yinmen, and 

 reduce them to the class of tenants or labmrers ; and 

 since capital will probably be then superabundant 

 without the means of employing it further on new 

 soil, the price of labor will necessarily retrograde. 



But it is possible that, before this can happen, in- 

 creased civilization will have new channels for em- 

 ploying the savings of the landlord and fanner. If 

 however, this should not be the case, the population 

 will be forced either to remain stationary or to resort 

 to emigration to get rid of its superfluous members. 



HA It VEST, FOOD, &C 



Women are the principal reapers or rather pluck, 

 era of the ^rain-fields; but when the more expeditious 

 way of reaping by the sickle is substituted, men wilt 

 be most useful. At present, a very expert reaper 

 can cut 50 gomeh in a day. A gamvh is as many of 

 the upper parts of I he rice stalk, with ears attached, 

 as may be grasped by one band. Of this quantity 

 the reaper never receives less than 10 per cent, and 

 often more. But at this rate he will get about 7 J 

 chupahs of pud die or 3| of rice, the value of which 

 will vary from 8 to 12 cents. A family of five per- 

 sons, at an average of only 96 gomeh each daily, can, 

 by unremitting labor during the two harvest months, 

 at the above per, eentage, obtain Wee enough for six 

 months' consumption, or ample food, by exchanging 

 a part of this, of the usual descriptions, for three 

 months, including rice. In this case, labor might be 



