Hints on agricultural subjects, and on the best means of improving the condition of the labouring classes / By J.C. Curwen.

  • Curwen, J. C. (John Christian), 1756-1828.
Date:
1809
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hints on agricultural subjects, and on the best means of improving the condition of the labouring classes / By J.C. Curwen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    twenty-one of these are under pasture for horses and, cattle; I conceive a million and a half of acres might be taken from the lands in pasture, and brought un- der rotative crops, in aid of what is so applied at present. I cannot entertain an apprehension that, from the capital possessed by Great Britain, any serious incon- venience could result to our general commerce, by the appropriation of such a sum as might be necessary to bring the newly-inclosed lands into a state of cultiva- tion ; though I have heard such arguments gravely urged as an objection to a general inclosure. In the county of Cumberland there are sixty thousand acres under inclosure ; supposing the expense of fencing and bringing into tillage not to exceed 10/. per acre,, or 600,000/., it might be natural to suppose the capi- tal requisite to accomplish this, and the quantity of land acquired, would tend to depreciate the value of land. The fact is directly the reverse; land never sold at such prices. Mr. Malthus has observed,- that “ in any instance where a certain quantity of dressing and labour em- ployed to bring new land into cultivation, would have yielded a permanently greater produce if employed upon old land, both the individual and the nation are losers by cultivating new land.” Had this argument been well founded, the one thousand three hundred inclosures of wastes, which have taken place within the pres ent reign, must have contributed to a de- crease of victual. Has not an increasing population (with an improved mechanism) afforded hands to carry i