806 
On the Farming of the 
important division of our subject, viz., the improvements still 
required in the Riding generally. 
Few, I think, who have marked the progress which has already 
been made, and the earnest desire for further knowledge now 
existing amongst all classes connected with agriculture, but must 
feel assured that a great and important change in the general 
economy of cultivation is gradually but surely being established ; 
in fact, that the agriculture of this country is undergoing that 
state of transition from which its manufactures have but so 
recently emerged ; and since the most sceptical have never yet 
ventured to assign a limit to the productiveness of the soil, there 
seems no reason to fear but that the result of such a change will 
be beneficial to all classes of the community. Take for example 
the growth of wheat, and we shall find, in almost every township, 
and over districts where the general character of the soil is the 
same, a maximum yield of 50 or 60 bushels, and a minimum one 
of 20 bushels, per statute acre. One occupier — of more capital, 
and possibly more intelligence than the others — has an average 
produce from his wheat-crops of 40 bushels per acre (and I last 
autumn saw more than one farm in this Riding which would fully 
realize this), whilst his neighbour, farming the same description 
of land, and only having to look over the hedge to see what is 
done and its results, cannot succeed in obtaining above 30 
bushels. Why should this be so ? For it is obvious, that if 40 
bushels per acre can be grown by one person, they can by an- 
other, adopting a similar course of management on a similar soil. 
But it may be the one land is drier than the other — the one 
drained, the other not ; — and in by far too large a proportion of 
instances this really is the discouraging position in which the 
grower of the 30 bushels per acre finds himself. He sees his 
neighbour, who probably, at the most, does not pay above \Qs. 
per acre more rent than himself, securing, with a less amount of 
labour and horse-power in the preparation of his land, a greater 
produce by at least 50s. per acre in value. Why then, will be 
asked, does he not drain his land? To which he truly and justly 
answers, " I am the occupier only, and my capital and time are 
both fully required for the cultivation of this land ; not for im- 
proving the owner's fee-simple in perpetuity. I have not the 
least objection to pay any reasonable per centage on the outlay, 
in additional rent, which my landlord may require, even to the 
extent of 10 per cent., rather than remain as I am; but I can- 
not undertake to drain the land myself, because in so doing my 
other operations on the farm would be disarranged by reason of 
the necessary additional outlay, although 1 know that probably 
the extra produce "from the two next succeeding crops would 
reimburse me," Hence the necessity and the justice of pro- 
