SECT. II.

Of the actual state of Agriculture in Europe.

12. The climate and soil of Great Britain and Ireland, are particularly favourable to husbandry; nor is her geographical position less auspicious—placed, as she is, on the longest line, and amidst the most important markets of the continent of Europe. If to these advantages be added the laborious, enlightened, and enterprising character of the nation, we cannot but expect results the most favourable to agriculture: yet is the fact notoriously otherwise. To show that this opinion is neither hasty nor unfounded, we must enter into details, which may not be unprofitable.

The surface of England is estimated at 37,265,853 acres, which are distributed as follows:

In pasturage,18,796,45
In tillage,11,350,501
In cities, roads & canals,3,454,740
Lands fit for pasturage or tillage not cultivated,3,515,238
Lands unfit for cultivation,2,148,921

Of the arable land the following annual disposition is made:

Lands unfit for cultivation,2,148,921
In wheat and rye,2,000,000
In peas, beans, and buckwheat,2,000,000
In barley and oats,4,000,000
In fallow, or in turnips or cabbages,3,400,000

The lands, in wheat and rye, yield on an average of ten years, three quarters per acre, or 6,000,000 quarters; yet there is an annual deficit in England of 1,820,000 quarters, which must be drawn from foreign markets.[1]

There is certainly nothing very flattering in this view of English agriculture; but it may be said to be one of statists and politicians, and probably underrated. Let us then see what their own most eminent agriculturists, their Young and Sinclair, and Dickson and Marshall, say on this subject—"A very small portion of the cultivated parts of Great Britain, is to this day, submitted to a judicious and well conducted system of husbandry; not in fact more than four counties, (Norfolk, Sussex, Essex, and Kent:) while many large tracts of excellent soil are managed in a way the most imperfect and disadvantageous."[2]

Nor is her management of cattle better. "Considering the domestic animals in a general way, we find each species, and almost every race, capable of great improvement, and, with a few exceptions, the sheep much neglected. In some districts are whole races of cattle incapable of improvement (within a reasonable time) in the three great objects which they are expected to yield, viz. milk, flesh, and labour."[3] We now add some of the causes to which this defective husbandry has been ascribed: "to enumerate all would be impossible, from their number and complication."[4]

"1st. The commons, or unenclosed grounds, which in many places amount to near one half of the whole arable land, and which are submitted to the most absurd and ruinous system of culture."[5]

"2d. The terms (amounting to personal servitude) under which many of the lands are held."

"3d. The shortness of leases given by corporations (civil and religious) and by individuals, and which seldom exceed three, five, or seven years, excepting in the counties of Norfolk, Sussex, Essex, and Kent, where (with great advantage to both landlord and tenant) they are frequently extended to twenty-one years."

"4th. The tithes in kind, paid by the farmers to the church; a tax highly vexatious in its character, and oppressive in its effects: and

"5th. The poor tax, which has become enormous, and of which the yeomanry pay three fourths. Of this tax it has been truly said, that it is a powerful instrument of depopulation—a barbarous contrivance for checking all national industry."[6]

To these causes, assigned by British writers, may be added the increase of population, common to every nation of Europe, and which in Great Britain is beyond all proportion greater than the progress of agriculture; the augmentation of cattle, which occasions that of pasturage, and the diminution of tillage;[7] the establishment of great farms at the expense of small ones, and the multiplication of parks and pleasure grounds; and lastly, the attraction of great cities, and the continual drafts made upon the agricultural population, for the army and navy, and for commerce and manufactures.