wealbk01- 第38部分

pounds；　or　a　hundred　and　seventy…five　Paris　pounds　at　a　medium；

which　reduces　the　price　of　the　hundred…weight　English　to　about

eight　shillings　sterling；　not　a　fourth　part　of　what　is　commonly

paid　for　the　brown　or　muskavada　sugars　imported　from　our

colonies；　and　not　a　sixth　part　of　what　is　paid　for　the　finest

white　sugar。　The　greater　part　of　the　cultivated　lands　in　Cochin

China　are　employed　in　producing　corn　and　rice；　the　food　of　the

great　body　of　the　people。　The　respective　prices　of　corn；　rice；

and　sugar；　are　there　probably　in　the　natural　proportion；　or　in

that　which　naturally　takes　place　in　the　different　crops　of　the

greater　part　of　cultivated　land；　and　which　recompenses　the

landlord　and　farmer；　as　nearly　as　can　be　computed　according　to

what　is　usually　the　original　expense　of　improvement　and　the

annual　expense　of　cultivation。　But　in　our　sugar　colonies　the

price　of　sugar　bears　no　such　proportion　to　that　of　the　produce　of

a　rice　or　corn　field　either　in　Europe　or　in　America。　It　is

commonly　said　that　a　sugar　planter　expects　that　the　rum　and

molasses　should　defray　the　whole　expense　of　his　cultivation；　and

that　his　sugar　should　be　all　clear　profit。　If　this　be　true；　for　I

pretend　not　to　affirm　it；　it　is　as　if　a　corn　farmer　expected　to

defray　the　expense　of　his　cultivation　with　the　chaff　and　the

straw；　and　that　the　grain　should　be　all　clear　profit。　We　see

frequently　societies　of　merchants　in　London　and　other　trading

town's　purchase　waste　lands　in　our　sugar　colonies；　which　they

expect　to　improve　and　cultivate　with　profit　by　means　of　factors

and　agents；　notwithstanding　the　great　distance　and　the　uncertain

returns　from　the　defective　administration　of　justice　in　those

countries。　Nobody　will　attempt　to　improve　and　cultivate　in　the

same　manner　the　most　fertile　lands　of　Scotland；　Ireland；　or　the

corn　provinces　of　North　America；　though　from　the　more　exact

administration　of　justice　in　these　countries　more　regular　returns

might　be　expected。

　　　　　In　Virginia　and　Maryland　the　cultivation　of　tobacco　is

preferred；　as　more　profitable；　to　that　of　corn。　Tobacco　might　be

cultivated　with　advantage　through　the　greater　part　of　Europe；　but

in　almost　every　part　of　Europe　it　has　become　a　principal　subject

of　taxation；　and　to　collect　a　tax　from　every　different　farm　in

the　country　where　this　plant　might　happen　to　be　cultivated　would

be　more　difficult；　it　has　been　supposed；　than　to　levy　one　upon

its　importation　at　the　custom…house。　The　cultivation　of　tobacco

has　upon　this　account　been　most　absurdly　prohibited　through　the

greater　part　of　Europe；　which　necessarily　gives　a　sort　of

monopoly　to　the　countries　where　it　is　allowed；　and　as　Virginia

and　Maryland　produce　the　greatest　quantity　of　it；　they　share

largely；　though　with　some　competitors；　in　the　advantage　of　this

monopoly。　The　cultivation　of　tobacco；　however；　seems　not　to　be　so

advantageous　as　that　of　sugar。　I　have　never　even　heard　of　any

tobacco　plantation　that　was　improved　and　cultivated　by　the

capital　of　merchants　who　resided　in　Great　Britain；　and　our

tobacco　colonies　send　us　home　no　such　wealthy　planters　as　we　see

frequently　arrive　from　our　sugar　islands。　Though　from　the

preference　given　in　those　colonies　to　the　cultivation　of　tobacco

above　that　of　corn；　it　would　appear　that　the　effectual　demand　of

Europe　for　tobacco　is　not　completely　supplied；　it　probably　is

more　nearly　so　than　that　for　sugar；　and　though　the　present　price

of　tobacco　is　probably　more　than　sufficient　to　pay　the　whole

rent；　wages；　and　profit　necessary　for　preparing　and　bring　it　to

market；　according　to　the　rate　at　which　they　are　commonly　paid　in

corn　land；　it　must　not　be　so　much　more　as　the　present　price　of

sugar。　Our　tobacco　planters；　accordingly；　have　shown　the　same

fear　of　the　superabundance　of　tobacco　which　the　proprietors　of

the　old　vineyards　in　France　have　of　the　superabundance　of　wine。

By　act　of　assembly　they　have　restrained　its　cultivation　to　six

thousand　plants；　supposed　to　yield　a　thousand　weight　of　tobacco；

for　every　negro　between　sixteen　and　sixty　years　of　age。　Such　a

negro；　over　and　above　this　quantity　of　tobacco；　can　manage；　they

reckon；　four　acres　of　Indian　corn。　To　prevent　the　market　from

being　overstocked；　too；　they　have　sometimes；　in　plentiful　years；

we　are　told　by　Dr。　Douglas　（I　suspect　he　has　been　ill　informed）；

burnt　a　certain　quantity　of　tobacco　for　every　negro；　in　the　same

manner　as　the　Dutch　are　said　to　do　of　spices。　If　such　violent

methods　are　necessary　to　keep　up　the　present　price　of　tobacco；

the　superior　advantage　of　its　culture　over　that　of　corn；　if　it

still　has　any；　will　not　probably　be　of　long　continuance。

　　　　　It　is　in　this　manner　that　the　rent　of　the　cultivated　land；

of　which　the　produce　is　human　food；　regulates　the　rent　of　the

greater　part　of　other　cultivated　land。　No　particular　produce　can

long　afford　less；　because　the　land　would　immediately　be　turned　to

another　use。　And　if　any　particular　produce　commonly　affords　more；

it　is　because　the　quantity　of　land　which　can　be　fitted　for　it　is

too　small　to　supply　the　effectual　demand。

　　　　　In　Europe；　corn　is　the　principal　produce　of　land　which

serves　immediately　for　human　food。　Except　in　particular

situations；　therefore；　the　rent　of　corn　land　regulates　in　Europe

that　of　all　other　cultivated　land。　Britain　need　envy　neither　the

vineyards　of　France　nor　the　olive　plantations　of　Italy。　Except　in

particular　situations；　the　value　of　these　is　regulated　by　that　of

corn；　in　which　the　fertility　of　Britain　is　not　much　inferior　to

that　of　either　of　those　two　countries。

　　　　　If　in　any　country　the　common　and　favourite　vegetable　food　of

the　people　should　be　drawn　from　a　plant　of　which　the　most　common

land；　with　the　same　or　nearly　the　same　culture；　produced　a　much

greater　quantity　than　the　most　fertile　does　of　corn；　the　rent　of

the　landlord；　or　the　surplus　quantity　of　food　which　would　remain

to　him；　after　paying　the　labour　and　replacing　the　stock　of　the

farmer；　together　with　its　ordinary　profits；　would　necessarily　be

much　greater。　Whatever　was　the　rate　at　which　labour　was　commonly

maintained　in　that　country；　this　greater　surplus　could　always

maintain　a　greater　quantity　of　it；　and　consequently　enable　the

landlord　to　purchase　or　command　a　greater　quantity　of　it。　The

real　value　of　his　rent；　his　real　power　and　authority；　his　command

of　the　necessaries　and　conveniencies　of　life　with　which　the

labour　of　other　people　could　supply　him；　would　necessarily　be

much　greater。

　　　　　A　rice　field　produces　a　much　greater　quantity　of　food　than

the　most　fertile　corn　field。　Two　crops　in　the　year　from　thirty　to

sixty　bushels　each；　are　said　to　be　the　ordinary　produce　of　an

acre。　Though　its　cultivation；　therefore；　requires　more　labour；　a

much　greater　surplus　remains　after　maintaining　all　that　labour。

In　those　rice　countries；　therefore；　where　rice　is　the　common　and

favourite　vegetable　food　of　the　people；　and　where　the　cultivators

are　chiefly　maintained　with　it；　a　greater　share　of　this　greater

surplus　should　belong　to　the　landlord　than　in　corn　countries。　In

Carolina；　where　the　planters；　as　in　other　British　colonies；　are

generally　both　farmers　and　landlords；　and　where　rent　consequently

is　confounded　with　profit；　the　cultivation　of　rice　is　found　to　be

more　profitable　than　that　of　corn；　though　their　fields　produce

only　one　crop　in　the　year；　and　though；　from　the　prevalence　of　the

customs　of　Europe；　rice　is　not　there　the　common　and　favourite

vegetable　food　of　the　people。

　　　　　A　good　rice　field　is　a　bog　at　all　seasons；　and　at　one　season

a　bog　covered　with　water。　It　is　unfit　either　for　corn；　or

pasture；　or　vineyard；　or；　indeed；　for　any　other　vegetable　produce

that　is　very　useful　to　men；　and　the　lands　which　are　fit　for　those

purposes　are　not　fit　for　rice。　Even　in　the　rice　countries；

therefore；　the　rent　of　rice　lands　cannot　regulate　the　rent　of　the

other　cultivated　land；　which　can　never　be　turned　to　that　produce。

　　　　　The　food　produced　by　a　field　of　potatoes　is　not　inferior　in

quantity　to　that　produced　by　a　field　of　rice；　and　much　superior

to　what　is　produced　by　a　field　of　wheat。　Twelve　thousand　weight

of　potatoes　from　an　acre　of　land　is　not　a　greater　produce　than

two　thousand　weight　of　wheat。　The　food　or　solid　nourishment；

indeed；　which　can　be　drawn　from　each　of　those　two　plants；　is　not

altogether　in　proportion　to　their　weight；　on　account　of　the

watery　nature　of　potatoes。　Allowing；　however；　half　the　weight　of

this　root　to　go　to　water；　a　very　large　allowance；　such　an　acre　of

potatoes　will　still　produce　six　thousand　weight　of　solid

nourishment；　three　times　the　quantity　produced　by　the　acre　of

wheat。　An　acre　of　potatoes　is　cultivated　with　less　expense　than

an　acre　of　wheat；　the　fallow；　which　generally　precedes　the　sowing

of　wheat；　more　than　compensating　the　hoeing　and　other

extraordinary　culture　which　is　always　given　to　potatoes。　Should

this　root　ever　become　in　any　part　of　Europe；　like　rice　in　some

rice　countries；　the　common　and　favourite　vegetable　food　of　the

people；　so　as　to　occupy　the　same　proportion　of　the　lands　in

tillage　which　wheat　and　other　sorts　of　grain　for　human　food　do　at

present；　the　same　quantity　of　cultivated　land　would　maintain　a

much　greater　number　of　people；　and　the　labourers　being　generally

fed　with　potatoes；　a　greater　surplus　would　remain　after　replacing

all　the　stock　and　maintaining　all　the　labour　employed　in

cultivation。　A　greater　share　of　this　surplus；　too；　would　belong

to　the　landlord。　Population　would　increase；　and　rents　would　rise

much　beyond　what　they　are　at　present。

　　　　　The　land　which　is　fit　for　potatoes　is　fit　for　almost　every

other　useful　vegetable。　If　they　occupied　the　same　proportion　of

cultivated　land　which　corn　does　at　present；　they　would　regulate；

in　the　same　manner；　the　rent　of　the　greater　part　of　other

cultivated　land。

　　　　　In　some　parts　of　Lancashire　it　is　pretended；　I　have　been

told；　that　bread　of　oatmeal　is　a　heartier　food　for　la