6 
Condition of the Agricultural Labourer , with 
land, and if the capital were judiciously applied it would be 
abundantly remunerative. In Ireland the produce might probably 
be doubled by like means. Under these circumstances, there can 
be no insuperable difficulty in extending the field of labour fully 
up to what is required for affording employment to the whole of 
the agricultural population ; and our great landowners and capi- 
talists ought to apply themseUes towards the accomplishment of 
this object, by originating and carrying forward improvements, in 
conformity with the advanced science and intelligence of the day. 
If they will do this, the field of labour will speedily be enlarged, 
and improvement in the condition of the working classes will 
accompany its enlargement. 
In trade and manufactures improvements are now being daily 
introduced, and often at a vast outlay of capital, in order to keep 
pace with the intelligence and wants of the times; and why should 
not the ^ame principle of progression be applied to agriculture ? 
There is no lack of inducements. Our agriculturists would find 
their own interest promoted by it, in common with that of their 
labourers and of all others engaged in or connected with agricul- 
tural pursuits. Indeed the interests of the whole community 
would be promoted, for by increasing the produce of the land the 
general wealth of the country would be increased, and every in- 
terest would thus be served through the instrumentality ol the 
landed interest, which would itself, however, derive the largest 
share of the benefits resulting from its own efforts. 
It is not here intended to discuss the several improvements of 
which farming operations are susceptible. These are set forth in 
the Journal of the Society, and in various other publications of 
merit and authority ; all serving, however, to establish the fact, 
that there is a wide field for improvement open to the agricul- 
turists of the present day, and that one of the chief elements 
required is the application of an increased amount of labour. 
Every farmer is aware that nothing pays better than labour, 
that there is no substitute for it, and that without it nothing 
which can be applied to the land will yield a profitable return. 
Yet how often does the farmer fail to employ the necessary 
amount of labour, whilst his land is left foul with weeds, un- 
drained and imperfectly cultivated, with waste patches covered 
with rubbish but capable of yielding valuable produce, with 
fences extending over three or four times the space they ought to 
occupy, with a farm-yard wasting the manure which ought to be 
carefully preserved for fertilizing the land, with his farm half 
stocked, half worked, the labourers in a state of poverty, their 
cottages poor and comfortless, without a garden or anything to 
render them cheerful and attractive. This is not an overdrawn 
picture — it exists in too many instances in every part of the 
