produce would be treble of what it yields at present, and I think this may be considered as practically proved, if I can show farmers, possessing land of average quality, who, being induced to change their manner of cultivation in the way already described, are now receiving fully treble produce from the identical same farms to what it formerly yielded.

CHAPTER LII.

FURTHER RESULTS OF IMPROVED CULTURE-A FOURFOLD INCREASE OF EXPENDITURE RESULTING IN A FOURFOLD INCREASE OF GROSS PRODUCE; DISTRIBUTION OF THE GROSS PRODUCE, SHOWING THE PROPORTIONS OF RENT, WAGES, AND PROFIT UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM; THE SAME UNDER THE NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM-JUDICIOUS LAND-IMPROVEMENT THE MOST REMUNERATIVE INVESTMENT FOR PROPRIETORs, and for TENANTS SECURE OF THEIR HOLDINGS-INSTANCES OF HIGH PERCENTAGE ON MONEY SO INVESTED.

In his pamphlet, High Farming under liberal Covenants," Mr. Caird gives us an instance of a fourfold annual increase of produce, resulting from an improved state of farming, on the farm of Auchness, on the bay of Luce in Wigtonshire, within a few miles of the southernmost point of Scotland; and the case is the more apposite on account of the climate, the nature of the soil, and the kind of crops most suitable being analogous to those of many districts in Ireland. The farm consists of 260 acres of arable land, 30 of which are reclaimed moss, 40 black, moorish soil, intermixed with white sand, 125 light, sandy soilbetter adapted for wheat than for barley or oats, when in a high state of cultivation-and 65 acres of superior red turnip soil.2 The leading principle developed on this farm is a greater reliance on green crops, grass, and forage, as contradistinguished from corn, but by no means exclusive of corn. In connection with this our attention is directed to the prosecution of a high system of farming, which enlarges the field of labour and its

1 Blackwood, 1850.

2 High Farming under liberal Covenants,' p. 7.

FURTHER RESULTS OF IMPROVED CULTURE.

219

remuneration, leads to the accumulation and economy of manure, and affords the means of applying it to the crops in a far more liberal manner than has heretofore been thought either necessary or advantageous."

The results of this system will be best understood by a comparison of it with the old system it replaced. In ten years the extent of land in wheat has been doubled, while the yield has been increased from 20 to 36 bushels per imperial acre; the extent in oats remains the same, while the yield per acre has been doubled; the extent in turnips has been increased seven times (from 8 to 55 acres), each acre producing at least double the former crop; the extent in potatoes has been increased from 15 to 55 acres annually, with a great additional increase per acre; whilst the land now appropriated to summer feeding, soiling, and grazing, though not one half the extent of that under the old system, keeps much more than double the former stock.2

The main source of this increased productiveness is the preference given by Mr. McCulloch to the cultivation of green crops, and to the extraordinary quantity of manure he applies to those green crops. Under the old system, about three-fourths of the land in tillage were in grain, one-fourth only being in drilled green crops. Under the new system, little more than two-fifths are in grain, while nearly three-fifths are annually appropriated to drilled green crops. We have here practically exemplified an idea which has been gradually gaining ground in the minds of thinking farmers that green crops are likely, henceforth, to be the main stay of the agriculturists of this country.3

Reduced to money, the comparison stands thus:

EXPENDITURE.

Old System

£

8.

d.

Rent, including interest on landlord's 152 0 0

expenditure in improvements

Labour.

Manures and food purchased.

Total Expenditure.

142 8
0 0

0

1 High Farming under liberal Covenants,' p. 6. Ibid. pp. 25-26.

2 Ibid. p. 25.

Here we have a fourfold increase of expenditure and a fourfold increase of gross produce. The gross produce is thus distributed. Three times as much is dispensed in the wages of labour as before, the landlord receives an increase of 75 per cent. on his rent, and the farmer has nearly four times as much profit as formerly, viz. 1,3131. against 3481.1 Moreover, 21. per acre are annually expended on manures and food for stock, on which one penny was not expended under the old system. In a word, landlord, capitalist, and labourer, all derive great advantages from the improved culture, while the soil is permanently enriched and enabled to produce four times as much food for the community as before.

Obviously there is no more remunerative investment for landlords, or tenants secure in their holdings, than a judicious outlay in the improvement and culture of their land. This is best seen in specific instances such as the above, which are far more to the point than mere general assertions.

2

In the Book of the Landed Estate' (p. 3) we are told of a farm of 340 acres in Yorkshire originally let at 425l., or 1l. 5s. an acre. The lease having expired, the proprietor very properly took the farm into his own hands for improvement. The farmhouse and buildings were remodelled, all the wet parts of the farm were thoroughly drained, and about 100 acres were trenched in order to deepen parts of the land and remove stones from it. In a word, no expense was spared that modern experience could suggest for its improvement. The total outlay was 2,960l., or nearly 91. an acre. After having the farm in his own hands three years, and having got it into the best possible

1 From these two items must be deducted the cost of seeds and incidentals, necessarily a larger amount under the new system, but not materially affecting the proportions of profit.

2 By Robert E. Brown. Blackwood, 1869.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE INCREASED PRODUCE.

221

condition for a tenant, the proprietor let it on a nineteen years' lease for 900l. a year, or close on 21. 13s. per acre. Here he had an increase of 475l. rent, or over 15 per cent. per annum interest on his money invested in improvements.

Let us take another instance, from the same writer, of the improved value of land by a judicious outlay upon it, but of a different description from the case already given :

A small farm on an estate under my management was, in 1862, let for a sum of 321. It extends to thirty-three acres of arable land, five acres of meadow, and twenty-two acres of rough pasture. The fences upon it were in a wretched state, and the buildings were very bad, and not sufficient for the requirements of the place. The land was also very poor, and in a dirty condition. The tenant left the farm a bankrupt.1

Does not all this look more like Ireland than Yorkshire? Mr. Brown took the farm into his own management for two years, had the land thoroughly cleaned and put into good condition, the fences improved, and the buildings remodelled, with some additions. The total outlay on improvements was 344l., and the farm was let to a good tenant at a yearly rent of 65l. Here the rent was doubled, the increase being equal to 9 per cent. interest on the money expended on improvements. The commercial value of the farm was also doubled.

CHAPTER LIII.

THE EXTENSION OF IMPROVED AGRICULTURE OUGHT TO BE THE SPECIAL CARE OF GOVERNMENT-WHY NOT HAVE A BOARD OF AGRICULTURE PRESIDED OVER BY A CABINET MINISTER, AS WE HAVE A BOARD OF TRADE? OUR CORN AND CATTLE OUGHT TO INCREASE TOGETHERNEGLECT OF TILLAGE UNDER THE ROMAN EMPIRE; ITS NEGLECT IN IRELAND-IMPORTS OF FOREIGN BREAD-STUFFS INTO IRELAND; THE SAME INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM-COMPARISON OF IMPORTS OF RAW PRODUCE AND MANUFACTURES FROM FRANCE INTO ENGLAND, AND OF EXPORTS OF THE SAME FROM ENGLAND TO FRANCE, BEFORE AND AFTER THE COMMERCIAL TREATY OF 1860; THE RESULT GREATLY IN FAVOUR

OF FRANCE-GREAT BRITAIN SUFFERS MORE THAN THE CONTINENT FROM STRIKES-AN ARGUMENT THAT SHE OUGHT NOT TO RELY TOO MUCH ON HER SUPREMACY IN MANUFACTURES-IMPORTANT EVIDENCE BEFORE THE TRADES UNIONS COMMISSION-NECESSITY OF GREAT BRITAIN DEVELOPING HER AGRICULTURAL AS WELL AS HER MANUFACTURING RESOURCES.

THIS improved system of farming is of so much consequence to the community at large that its general extension ought to be the special care of Government. We have a Board of Trade, presided over by a Cabinet Minister. Why not have a Board of Agriculture, of which the president would also be a member of the Cabinet? and why not, under this board, have such machinery for practical instruction in drainage, rotation of crops, and agriculture generally, as works so advantageously in other countries? There is a complete concurrence of opinion among writers of authority on the subject, that, generally speaking, the agriculture of these countries is far below the standard that is desirable, with the present rapidly increasing population. Many will be found to agree with Mr. Mechi, that our corn and cattle ought to increase together, and that this increase ought to be insured by improved farming rather than by an increased breadth devoted to cereals. As it is, on the whole, we confine ourselves too much to the producing of meat, and we rest content with this, depending to too great an extent on the foreigner for our corn food. Such was the fatal error of