HOW TO SUPPLY 
 
 THE HOME MARKET 
 
 BRITISH LAND AND LABOUR, 
 
 AND THEREBY SUPERSEDE 
 
 THE CORN LAWS. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY J. CARPENTER, OLD BOND STREET; 
 AND PELHAM RICHARDSON, CORNHILL. 
 
 1846. 
 
 Price One ShUling. 
 
Printed by W. Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street. 
 
 / aiBLA 
 i.OKDlN.) 
 
 V-fNIY/ 
 
TO THE HOUSE OF PEERS. 
 
 Mv Lords, 
 
 The writer of this letter is induced to address it 
 to you under a hope that it will have some tendency 
 in causing your Lordships to come to a different decision 
 to that of the members of the other House of Parliament: 
 he is aware, at the same time, that the vast amount of 
 talent brought to bear upon the subject is sufficient to 
 deter a private and humble individual from such an 
 attempt; it is, therefore, the importance of the subject 
 alone, and a firm conviction that the plan here suggested 
 may prove useful, that could have induced the author to 
 address this letter to your Lordships: and not having 
 much time at command for such a purpose, it is hoped 
 your Lordships will excuse any want of arrangement, as 
 well as supply any matter not sufficiently explained; 
 this much, however, may be premised, that the subject 
 treated of is the result of long experience. 
 
 An architect or builder, in making an estimate from 
 which a frabric was to be erected, without first ascertain¬ 
 ing the nature and the source from whence he could 
 obtain the materials, not only for present use but also 
 for keeping it in repair, would be considered utterly un- 
 
4 
 
 fit for such an undertaking, and equally unfit, provided 
 he did ascertain this necessary information, and should 
 determine on procuring them from that vrhich was 
 obviously not the best source. 
 
 Now, judging from the aspect of affairs in America, as 
 well as from the actual position in which Great Britain is 
 placed with other countries, whose ports are now closed 
 against the export of grain, it will not be difficult to show 
 that Sir Robert Peel has placed himself in the predica¬ 
 ment of an unwise architect, by relying upon the supplies 
 from distant and uncertain sources, while he can have 
 them at home on better terms. The object, therefore, 
 of this letter, is to point out how this is to be accom¬ 
 plished. 
 
 The main argument of the repealers is, first, that we 
 import large quantities of grain, which is true; secondly, 
 that the demand cannot be supplied from our own soil, 
 which is not true. 
 
 As there were no importations worthy of consideration, 
 in the six years from 1819 to 1825, and but little at 
 several periods during the last 50 years, although there 
 were many very unfruitful seasons during this time, 
 especially those of 1800-1, 1810-11, and 1812, it is fair 
 to infer that by the improvements in agriculture the 
 home market has been more nearly supplied by home 
 produce than is made to appear. Be this as it may, there 
 is a very large quantity of land in an uncultivated state, 
 and another large portion, in cultivation, not yielding 
 one-tenth of what it is capable of, with much greater 
 profit than it is at present yielding, to both owners and 
 occupiers, viz., inclosed pasture land of inferior quality; 
 and another portion, which is in tillage, not yielding more 
 than two-thirds of what it ought (the cause of which will 
 be explained hereafter, and a remedy suggested), in all. 
 
5 
 
 nearly a moiety of the United Kingdom, which may in 
 round numbers be stated thus: — 
 
 15,000,000 acres of waste, not capable of being cultivated 
 ’vith a profit. 
 
 15,000,000 — of waste, capable of being cultivated with 
 a profit. 
 
 15,000,000 — of inclosed pasture. 
 
 5,000,000 — of rich meadow and grazing land, and in 
 parks. 
 
 23,000,000 — in tillage. 
 
 4,000,000 — woods, ways, and water. 
 
 77,000,000 
 
 Sir G. Clerk having stated, in his place in Parliament, 
 that 10 million quarters of com had been imported within 
 the last five years, without naming the fact that six years 
 had passed over vdthout any importations, thereby in¬ 
 ducing a belief that 2 million quarters a year will be re¬ 
 quired, with an additional quantity equal to the demand 
 of the increase of population.—Notwithstanding this in¬ 
 sinuation, erroneous as it is, I will take it as my datum, 
 although it was stated three days afterwards on more cor¬ 
 rect information by Mr. B. Dennison in the House, that the 
 quantity imported in this period was 1,500,000 quarters 
 a year; but. a mistake to the extent of 25 per cent., as a 
 means of carrying a point like this, may be excused, but 
 not overlooked. 
 
 To supply this quantity would, on an average of four 
 quarters an acre of wheat, * barley, and oats, require 
 500,000 acres annually more than are now cultivated for 
 these products, which, to take a mind’s-eye view of, in 
 one plot, to be tilled, and a crop of flax, preparatory to 
 that of com (principally wheat) raised from it in the pre¬ 
 sent year, would appear a large quantity, but when divi- 
 
 * I am aware that thig is above the average, and that of oafs too low. 
 
ded by 30,000,—^thc number of landowners, will appear 
 small,—not quite 17 acres to,each, and when again sub¬ 
 divided amongst 300,000 farmers and graziers, will be 
 but little more than IJ acre each,—would be a quantity 
 so insignificantly small as not to interfere with present 
 operations. Take half the number of fanners here stated, 
 there would be three acres for each, still the quantity 
 would not be an object;—they Would, for various reasons 
 hereafter explained, comply with alacrity with any request 
 made by their landlords. My reason for taking one-half 
 the number of farmers is because there is a large quan¬ 
 tity of land not adapted to the cultivation of flax—flight 
 sand> coarse gravel, and stone brash in particular: and 
 that many landlords will not allow their pasture lands 
 to be treated as in the reign of Elizabeth, unless 
 the same measures to enforce them be adopted. This 
 is in reference to the present year, which will, as just 
 stated, require 500,000 acres to produce 2 million quar¬ 
 ters. To raise this quantity annually will require 2,500,000 
 acres, consequently it will require 500,000 acres of fresh 
 land to be converted to tillage for 5 years consecutively. 
 The smallness of the quantity to each farmer would enable 
 him at once to treat his newly-tilled land in the ordinary 
 way of cropping, and in case of a glut, which would be 
 very probable, he could as readily appropriate some of 
 hisold going tillage lands to pasture, seeds and tares. But, 
 if the quantity here stated should not be sufficient to supply 
 the demand, mqre old pasture could be converted to tillage. 
 
 Course of cropping, by which 500,000 acres of grain, 
 and not more, may be produced annually, by tilling this 
 quantity of fresh land every year for five years, as shown 
 in the first 5 columns of the table, provided the same 
 quantity of old going tiljage land be sown every other 
 year with seeds after 1848. Or, 500,000 acres of fresh 
 
Having great objections to prescribed rules, it is 
 with reluctance that this table is submitted. I do it, 
 however, more with a view of disabusing the minds of 
 landlords on the subject of keeping stock, than of con¬ 
 veying information to the farmer, for it is well known to 
 him that land in tillage may be made to carry consider¬ 
 ably more stock than when in permanent pasture, as it is, 
 that the more stock is kept the better the quality and 
 greater the quantity of manure; for it is an admitted 
 feet, that an acre of turnips, or of seeds of the first year’s 
 growth, will feed twice the quantity of stock as that of an 
 acre of old pasture, quality of the land being the same. 
 It will also be seen, that flax may be made extremely 
 useful as a means of regulating supply to the demand, 
 as well as seeds, as shown in the last two columns of the 
 table in particular. The table does not only show that 
 it can be done, but with the facility and certainty that 
 the quantity of grain cultivated annually may be in¬ 
 creased or decreased, so as to counteract the distress 
 occasioned by the variations in the amount of one year's 
 produce as compared with another, from the injurious 
 effects of bad seasons. This, as elsewhere stated, de¬ 
 pends entirely upon the farmer being furnished with the 
 necessary statistical information, the want of which has 
 caused great loss to the nation at large, but to no class so 
 much as the farmer. It may safely be asserted, that if 
 these measures had been adopted a few years ago, the 
 question now before the Legislature would not have been 
 agitated. The table shows also the fallacy of prescribed 
 rules. 
 
 No argument can show so clearly the folly of the rota¬ 
 tion system as the simple fact, that it is a complete 
 bar to supplying the home market, whereas by the land¬ 
 lord granting leases, as hereafter explained, which would 
 
9 
 
 induce the farmer to cultivate as if the land were his 
 own, all would be effected that could be done by the 
 land and labour of Great Britain, until every acre which 
 would support the labourer employed upon it was culti¬ 
 vated. Indeed, it would just give the power of expan¬ 
 sion and contraction, which is so much required in conse¬ 
 quence of the difference in the amount of prodwe in different 
 seasons. Until this, or something which will answer the 
 same purpose, be done, the greatest uncertainty and con¬ 
 fusion must prevail. 
 
 1 am aware that many farmers will say, that changing 
 land from pasture to tillage, and tillage to pasture, is 
 treated as if stock could be reared as quickly as the 
 seeds are so^vn to feed them upon; and also, as if doing 
 the latter were not attended with much expense. Be it 
 so ; nevertheless, I will take the liberty of telling them, 
 that it will be much better to do so, than to be forced 
 into one of two measures, that is, laying down poor land 
 to pasture without a prospect of improving it by the ap¬ 
 plication of manure, which they must do or abandon it, 
 the latter of which is the most probable, provided the 
 Corn Laws are repealed. 
 
 Lest it should be asked, why not cultivate those 
 wastes which it is said may be cultivated with a profit, 
 in preference to the old inclosed pastures, it is because 
 they cannot be made to answer the present emergency; 
 for, judging from what has occurred on this subject, 
 there would be too much time lost in Parliament in dis¬ 
 cussing the merits of such a measure. Assuming that 
 difficulty overcome, there would be the time lost in in¬ 
 closing and in preparing for a crop, which would in all 
 probability occupy not less than seven years. 
 
 Assuming, however, that your Lordships will act with 
 sufficient energy to prevent such a calamity, the best 
 
10 
 
 means of adjuaing supply to demand will be by causing 
 returns, immediately after harvest, of the stock of grain 
 on hand among dealers in com as well as farmers, with 
 statements of the probable yield of the crop just gathered. 
 This would enable the farmer to regulate his operations 
 in accordance with the reports; which reports should be 
 forwarded to London, for the purpose of being arranged, 
 condensed, and published. And since no class of per¬ 
 sons would profit so much by it as the farmers, an Act of 
 Parliament ought to be passed to enforce it. It would 
 tend equally to guard' against two of the greatest evils 
 that can happen—glut and scarcity. And, as the im¬ 
 portant duty of supplying the first necessary of life de¬ 
 volves upon the farmer, every impediment ought to be 
 removed. 
 
 But in the meantime (during these five years) flax, as 
 a first and preparatory crop, should be taken, which may 
 afterwards he continued or discontinued at pleasure, or 
 rather according to circumstances, for it will at all times 
 afford excellent means of assisting to regulate supply to 
 the demand; and it is fortunate, under existing circum¬ 
 stances, that it affords not only the readiest, but the 
 most profitable means of bringing pasture land into 
 tillage; for instead of paring and burning—a practice 
 which many landlords do not approve of—the ground is 
 merely ploughed and harrowed, and the sward left to rot, 
 and make a rich manure for the succeeding crop. It is 
 also a cheaper, as well as a readier mode, than paring 
 and burning, and fallowing for turnips or rape; for while 
 the latter costs in labour, rent, and taxes, not less than 
 H. an acre, the expenses of preparing for a crop of flax 
 do not exceed 12«. an acre. 
 
 Notwithstanding this, paring, burning, and fallowing, 
 are universally practised in Cornwall; so much for custom. 
 
11 
 
 It is only necessary, therefore, that each of these sys¬ 
 tems should be forthwith extended, in order to accomplish 
 the object here proposed ; by doing so the home market 
 may not only be supplied, but it may be efifected in the 
 short space of 18 months; and it may be safely asserted 
 that any man, loith a knowledge of these facts, who would 
 deprive his country of such advantages, but more espe¬ 
 cially the labouring and working classes, may safely be 
 said either to have taken a false view of the subject, or 
 that he has not spent much time in endeavouring to dis¬ 
 cover the most effectual remedy for the evil complained of. 
 
 Now, as the defeating of Sir Robert Peel’s measure is 
 completely in your Lordships’ power, it is confidently 
 hoped that that power will be exercised in a way becoming 
 your high station, although an appeal to the country 
 would probably just about reverse the majority in the 
 House of Commons; unless, indeed, the League were to 
 double the amount of their subscriptions, and appropriate 
 every shilling of it to accomplish their object. But a better 
 plan than this might be adopted, namely, that the land- 
 owners of the United Kingdom should undertake that the 
 demand should be supplied, not only in the short space 
 of 18 months, but that it should be continued, and failing 
 to do so, they should undertake not to oppose the repeal 
 of the Corn Laws. I am aware that the lando™ers may 
 say, as the deficiency of home produce is not so great as 
 has been stated, there would, if 2,500,000 of acres were 
 cultivated and 500,000 acres annually in grain crops, in 
 all probability, be a glut. 
 
 Be it so, two advantages would be gained; first, it 
 would show what could be done; secondly, that the evil 
 would be sooner remedied than by a glut of foreign corn, 
 inasmuch as the British farmer could appropriate a por¬ 
 tion of his old-going tillage lands to pasture, as already 
 
12 
 
 stated, and being thus in possession of the means of cor¬ 
 recting two of the greatest evils that can happen—glut 
 and scarcity: he would be in a much better position than 
 if exposed to the overwhelming importations from abroad; 
 indeed the British farmer would have, for ages to come, 
 all the means at his command which he could desire for 
 providing the United Kingdom with the first necessaries 
 of life, which is the greatest blessing God has given to 
 man. I repeat, that by placing this power in the hands 
 of foreigners, as now contemplated, the very reverse of 
 this would be the inevitable result. 
 
 To see all the people whom Sir Robert Peel’s measure 
 would throw out of work, gaunt and ragged, assembled 
 on the western shores of England looking across the 
 Atlantic for ships laden with corn from America, with the 
 uncultivated lands in the rear, turning their backs upon 
 the only sure source of employment and subsistence, but 
 instead of com news of war is brought, would be the tme 
 picture. 
 
 It is, however, a fortunate circumstance as a means of 
 avoiding the monster evil, that the advantages arising 
 from the cultivation of fresh land are so well understood 
 and appreciated by farmers, that every facility would be 
 afforded on their part; the whole matter, therefore, rests 
 with you, the Peers of Parliament, and if you cannot 
 forthwith, on the present emergency, agree amongst your¬ 
 selves, as to how much land each shall cause to be con¬ 
 verted to tillage, a few of the largest landowners ought 
 to do it as a dernier ressort to prevent the Corn Laws being 
 repealed. In doing or not doing this rests the very im¬ 
 portant question of whether your Lordships will act as 
 storekeepers to your own property—(indeed the property 
 of tens of thousands of British subjects—employment) and 
 retain the keys in your own pockets or intrust them to the 
 
13 
 
 care of foreigners, with whom you may be at war to-mor¬ 
 row. Rather than the latter, the landowner and farmers 
 had better (so far as subscribing goes) undertake to sup. 
 ply all the corn actually required at one-half of the cost 
 price till the harvest of 1847—eighteen months, than 
 allow the repeal of the Corn Laws: nay more, they had 
 better give it. 
 
 Lest this should be considered a visionary idea, I beg 
 to state that it would not amount to one-half per cent, on 
 the present value of the land and capital employed in its 
 cultivation. 
 
 By doing this, if nothing else will satisfy the repealers, 
 two advantages would be gained; the first and most im¬ 
 portant would be that of having shown the practicability 
 of the measure, and the second, that of obtaining a well 
 digested Act of Parliament, as in the reign of Elizabeth, 
 when I think seven Acts were passed enforcing the breaking 
 up of pasture lands as a means of furnishing employment,* 
 whereas there is now the additional one of supplying 
 British subjects with British corn, and at the same time 
 avoiding the widest spread misery ever known, actual 
 famine only excepted.—It may be here remarked that 
 those who had caused their old pasture lands to be tilled 
 in the first instance should be exonerated until their 
 compeers had caused an equal quantity to be treated in 
 the same manner, having regard to the relative quantity 
 each possesses. 
 
 The best means by which these advantages may be 
 accomplished are, I regret to say, as much objected to by 
 many landowners as that of converting pasture to tillage, 
 which is, if possible, still more erroneous, viz., the cultiva¬ 
 tion of flax; but as it will not be necessary to do so a 
 
 * See Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, 18th June, 
 1821. 
 
14 
 
 second time, on the same land, it is hoped the difficulty 
 will be overcome, old prejudices notwithstanding. 
 
 It is also hoped that the widely-spread information on 
 the subject of agriculture, self-interest, the interest of 
 their tenants and their labourers, and indeed the public 
 at large, will induce noblemen and gentlemen to shake 
 them off; the manufacturers, in adopting improved ma¬ 
 chinery, affords in this particular, an example well worth 
 imitating. 
 
 While on the subject of flax, and as some of your Lord- 
 ships may not be acquainted with the routine of farming, 
 I will give a very brief sketch of the two first operations, 
 as a means of convincing them of the practicability of 
 raising a crop between this and the month of August 
 next. The season for sowing the seed, is from the middle 
 of April to the middle of May, and the land may be 
 ploughed any time from February to the time of sowing, 
 and from five to six harrowings, and two rollings, so that 
 there is sufficient time for the farmer to accomplish all 
 that is required, even if he should not receive instruction 
 from his landlord till the middle of April, no one farmer 
 having occasion to cultivate more than would occupy a 
 few days. Whether in the north or south of England, it 
 is not sown tUl after the com seed season; and in saying 
 that it may be sown on newly ploughed land, I do so, not 
 only from my own practical knowledge, but from other 
 persons, of long and extensive experience, in one of the 
 first flax districts in England. 
 
 The effect produced by each of the principal fanpers 
 in the United Kingdom, cultivating a small additional 
 quantity of land, would be an apt illustration of the effect 
 which would be produced by foreigners throughout 
 Europe and America doing the same thing, (which they 
 will do in the event of our Corn Laws being repealed,) 
 
15 
 
 and all meeting in the English market. That, the result 
 would be far more disastrous than any glut caused by 
 home produce cannot be denied,, and that it is great 
 enough, is shown by the President of the United States 
 in 1843, who said, “ That market (the English) it is 
 beyond all others, which has saved our farmers from hdng 
 overwhelmed by low prices. But for " that market, we do 
 not believe that any of the produce of the. dairy or of 
 swine would be at much more than half their present 
 price.” Now, if a glut be productive of such baneful 
 effects to the farmer, in a country where there is, com¬ 
 paratively, neither rent nor taxes, nor any tithes, what 
 would bo the effect produced in the English market, or 
 rather on the British farmer, by the surplus produce of 
 Europe and America meeting in it? obviously it would be 
 so calamitous as not to require comment. A great mistake 
 prevails, which very much affects this subject, that re¬ 
 garding the price at which corn can be grown abroad, and 
 sent to England, for it so liappens that a fruitful harvest 
 forces the grower into the market, where he is from ne¬ 
 cessity obliged to sell, leaving cost quite out of the 
 question, in proof of which, large quantities were put on 
 board at 2.'!. a bushel in 1822-3 at Odessa, and the same may 
 be said as to the freight, it having at a subsequent period 
 been advanced from 2s. Gd. a quarter to 8s. per quarter, 
 although it was stated by Mr. Jacob, about the same time, 
 that wheat could not be produced on the Continent for 
 less than 48s. per quarter. It is obvious, therefore, that 
 price is not governed by cost of production. And it is. 
 equally clear, that in the event of the English market 
 hemg glutted by foreign produce, as it will be in the event 
 of the Corn Laws being repealed, large quantities of land 
 will be thrown out of cultivation, and instead of re¬ 
 quiring one find a half or two million quarters annually 
 
16 
 
 to be imported, ten millions would be required; the result 
 of which would be, that this countr}? would be in the pre¬ 
 dicament stated by another of the Presidents of the 
 United States, namely, that "Nothing can compensate 
 
 A PEOPLE FOB ITS DEPENDENCE UPON OTHEBS FOB THE 
 
 BREAD THEY EAT.” And as the object here contemplated—. 
 supplying the home market with home produce, (the im¬ 
 portance of which, is so forcibly pointed out by the Pre¬ 
 sident, as above,) may be effected in so short a space of 
 time, what, it may be asked, might be done if the whole 
 of the enclosed and " wastes capable of being cultivated 
 with a profit,” were brought into tillage? It would be 
 this, —the demand would be supplied for ages to come. 
 
 Having said so much on the subject of flax, it may be 
 thought by the inexperieneed in such matters, that there 
 is no other mode of bringing poor pasture into tillage, I 
 will therefore state the Cornish practice, by which it will 
 be seen that it is dispensed with; and, according to Mr. 
 Babbage, the author of the " Bights of Industry,” with 
 great advantage, who says that the " cultivation of the 
 turnip goes far towards communicating the philosopher’s 
 stone.” 
 
 “The commencement of the grand preparation in 
 Cornwall of the land for this crop is announced early "in 
 June, by the whole district being enveloped in smoke, 
 exhibiting at once the very general establishment of the 
 turnip culture throughout the country, and the almost 
 universal assent as to the utility of the practice of paring 
 and burning for them; many farmers would despair of suc¬ 
 cess in the attempt to get a crop without their beat ashes. 
 The ground which is generally a lay from four to seven 
 years old.” 
 
 Here are two modes of bringing pasture into tillage, 
 both bf which are practised upon avery extensive scale. 
 
17 
 
 and with great success; surely the noblemen and gentle¬ 
 men of Great Britain will not, under existing circum¬ 
 stances, reject both of them, and by doing so suffer the 
 Com Laws to be repealed. What, it may be asked, 
 would have been the price of wheat at this moment had 
 the potato crop not failed? In all probability it would 
 have been 5^. a bushel instead of 7s. 
 
 The next great source of increase of produce is from 
 tillage lands in the occupation of tenants-at-will, a class 
 of farmers who are deprived of the means of doing justice 
 either to themselves, their landlords, or the public, in 
 consequence of the precarious situation in which they are 
 placed, and of being bound down by prescribed rules and 
 rotations, of which the almost universal prohibition of the 
 cultivation of flax is proof, of which numerous cases 
 might be adduced ; but as enough has been said to show 
 the main object of this letter, it is not necessary to enter 
 upon that subject. I will therefore endeavour to point 
 out a remedy for the tenant with due protection to the 
 landlord. The immense number of farmers who were 
 ruined by taking long leases at fixed rents when grain 
 was at a high price, may as safely be considered as gam¬ 
 bling transactions, as that no lease at all is still worse; 
 any mode, therefore, by which these evils can be obviated 
 is highly worthy of the consideration of both landlord and 
 tenant. 
 
 My plan of protection to both is based upon the same 
 principle as that of the sliding scale of the corn laws, 
 with a power to the landlord, which would protect him 
 against loss from bad management, whether from design 
 or inability on the part of the tenant; the outline of 
 which would be to the following effect:—A running term 
 of say seven years after notice by either party to quit, 
 and 21 years in cases where great improvements are re- 
 
18 
 
 quired, with notice by either party to quit at the expira¬ 
 tion of 14 years, failing to do this, the running term of 
 seven years to be in force, and the 21 years’ lease to be 
 null and void. 
 
 As to the amount of the annual rent per acre, 
 the lowest sum which the land is .supposed to be worth at 
 the lowest price of farm produce, should be fixed upon; 
 the remainder to be adjusted once a year, upon the same 
 principle as stated in the Act of Parliament of the 18th 
 of Elizabeth, on the subject of College leases. This 
 proposition regarding leases, as well as those relating to 
 conversion of pasture to tillage, and the cultivation of 
 flax having been enforced by Acts of Parliament, cannot 
 be considered innovations. If, therefore, these measures 
 were now resorted to, and unwise restrictions abolished, 
 the tenant would with confidence employ his capital, and 
 exercise his best judgment. How such anti-corn pro¬ 
 ducing clauses, as are yet enforced, 100 years after it has 
 been proved by Tull, that 13 crops of wheat were taken 
 in succession, and that the last was as good as the first, 
 is most extraordinary. It is also well known, that three 
 or four crops of potatoes, carrots, and turnips are fre¬ 
 quently taken in succession, without impoverishing the 
 soil in a greater degree than if the crops had been 
 changed. In the latter case, that of turnips, the opposite 
 effect to that of impoverishing the soil is invariably pro¬ 
 duced. 
 
 In alluding to these practices, I do not wish to be 
 understood that I recommend them. My object is to 
 show the. fallacy of bad rotation systems, especially at 
 times, and under such circumstances as now exist, when 
 they might be deviated from with advantage, of which the 
 late deficient crop is a proof, or when any particular crop 
 fails, which firequently happens with seeds and Lent corn. 
 
19 
 
 In the latter case, a crop of flax might frequently be 
 taken with very great advantage. The prejudice, how¬ 
 ever, against this invaluable product is most surprising; 
 in consequence of the well-known fact, as already stated, 
 that a better crap of wheat is obtained after it than after any 
 crop of grain, and as good as after fallow, when no manure is 
 used, owing, no doubt, to the combined fertilizing effects 
 of the excrementitous fluid matter discharged by the roots 
 while in a growing state, and from the leaves left on the 
 ground after the flax is reaped. And the ground is still 
 more enriched by the animal decayed and decaying vege¬ 
 table matter; the roots and fibres of the turf at this 
 period just in a state to afford the most nourishment to 
 the succeeding crop of wheat. Taking, therefore, the 
 fertilizing effects of the flax and the turf, no preparation 
 for wheat is equal to it, as regards both profit and good 
 husbandry. 
 
 Notwithstanding these advantages, its cultivation is 
 prohibited in England by a large majority of land- 
 owners. 
 
 The next great advantage derivable from it is the 
 immense quantity of labour it furnishes; too much, 
 therefore, cannot be said and done to remove these im¬ 
 pediments, which are attended with more baneful effects, 
 in the present dearth of employment, and pauperism 
 consequent thereon, than can well be imagined. Suffice 
 it to say, that if the same quantity of flax were raised 
 and manufactured in England as now costs us from five 
 to six millions sterling a-year, and the same amount in flax 
 seed and oil-cake, (invaluable as cattle food,) * in importa¬ 
 tions from foreign countries, the advantages would be of 
 a more wide-spreading nature than landlords, in the 
 
20 
 
 absence of sound practical knowledge, are aware of, 
 otherwise they would abandon every idea of restriction. 
 
 While writing this letter, the following official docu¬ 
 ment appeared in The Times, and as it is in perfect 
 accordance with everything here advanced on the subject 
 of flax, I avail myself of the support it affords. 
 
 "Flax in Ireland. —Yesterday, a paper presented 
 by command was issued, containing parts of the Fifth 
 Annual Report of the Society for the Promotion and Im¬ 
 provement of the Growth of Flax in Ireland. It seems 
 that the entire amount realized in Ireland, adding the 
 value of the seed saved for the flax crop in 1845, was 
 estimated at 1,750,0001., being about the same amount 
 as the preceding year. The condition of the linen trade 
 in Ireland is favourably reported by the society; and the 
 society in the report states, ‘ Independently then of the 
 claims which flax culture has, on the ground of profit to 
 the farmer and employment to the labourer, it has to add 
 the very important one of mainly contributing to uphold 
 and increase a manufacture which employs thousands of 
 hands in its prosecution, has distributed wealth wherever 
 it has settled, and is, in fact, the most flourishing and 
 important of the industrial resources of Ireland.’ After 
 showing the sums expended on the importation of flax 
 from foreign countries, the report states,—‘ Thus we find 
 that from 5,000,0001. to 6;000,0001. sterling are annually 
 drained out of the country, to pay foreign nations for the 
 produce of a crop which can be grown at home with 
 profit to the farmer, affording great employment to the 
 labourer and benefiting the community at large .”’—The 
 Times, March, 1846. 
 
 The only efficient way of dealing with this subject 
 appears to be that of resorting to the law of Elizabeth, 
 previously alluded to, and by which these large sums of 
 
21 
 
 five or six millions a-year would be saved :—viz., go 
 into the pochets of British farmers and labourers, instead 
 of into the pockets of foreigners, whose lands are not 
 encumbered with either taxes, tithes, or poor's-rates. 
 
 I am aware that the landowner will say. If I grant the 
 farmer these privileges, and a running term of seven 
 years, he may impoverish the land to an extent which 
 would greatly reduce the value for the next seven years. 
 All danger of this kind may be avoided, by introducing 
 conditions similar in effect to those introduced in all 
 leases of houses and other buildings which enforce 
 repairs. 
 
 But in this case something more may be done with 
 advantage to protect the landlord; namely, in the event 
 of a tenant not keeping his land in a husband-like con¬ 
 dition, he should be bound to give up on such notice as 
 tenants-at-will are now bound by. And in order that 
 justice should be done, the state of his farm should be 
 ascertained by competent persons, one or more chosen 
 by each party, with an umpire in the usual way in such 
 matters. 
 
 Now, I tvill venture to assert, that by this lease the 
 landlord’s interest would not only be better protected than 
 by any terms on which land is now let, but he would receive 
 a much higher rent than he ever will receive, even if the 
 Com Laws are not repealed, and the same may be said 
 of that portion of the land on which rent will be paid in 
 the event of repeal; and that this will be the result is as 
 certain as that these laws will be repealed, provided it is 
 not shown that the demand can and will be supplied by 
 home produce. To do this nothing more is needful at 
 the present crisis, than for one-half of the landlords to 
 permit each tenant to appropriate, not acres, but 1^ 
 
22 
 
 acre, on the average, of old pasture to flax or turnips, 
 preparatory to com crops for the next year. If the 
 measures here suggested be practicable, it would be 
 equally unwise on the part of the landlords and the 
 repealers not to afford the British fanner a fair oppor¬ 
 tunity of supplying the home market, in fact to feed 
 and clothe his fellow-countrymen, instead of deputing 
 foreigners. 
 
 The trading community imagine that because such 
 rapid improvements have recently been made in their 
 various departments through the medium of steam, and 
 that this or some other power equivalent to it has not 
 been discovered so as to furnish their workpeople with 
 cheap food, they must have it from other sources. 
 
 Now, as the late Sir Robert Peel was just as likely to 
 understand the effects produced by the employment of 
 too much machinery, and overtrading consequent there¬ 
 from, as his son, we will see what he says upon the sub¬ 
 ject. I take the extract from the leading article of The 
 Times, 3rd January, 1842, on the evils of overtrading, 
 where it is thus introduced:— 
 
 “ These evils, the factory deputation tell us, were fore¬ 
 seen many years ago by the late Sir Robert Peel, who 
 said that such indiscriminate and unlimited employment 
 of the poor, consisting of a great proportion of the in¬ 
 habitants of trading districts, wiU be attended with effects 
 to the rising generation, so serious and alarming that I 
 cannot contemplate them without dismay; and thus that 
 great effort of British ingenuity whereby the machinery 
 of our manufactures has been brought to such perfection, 
 instead of being a blessing to the nation, will be converted 
 into the bitterest curse. ’’ 
 
 If Sir Robert Peel had applied for an Act of Parlia- 
 
23 
 
 ment to renew the Acts of Elizabeth previously referred 
 to, and it had been refused, he would have been justified 
 in doing what he is now attempting to do. 
 
 This opinion receives an excellent illustration from the 
 observations of Mr. Porter, who, in his “ Progress of the 
 Nation,” fixes the amount of our home trade at eight 
 hundred millions, and that of our foreign trade at forty 
 millions. According to this estimate the former is 20 
 times more valuable than the latter, with this additional 
 advantage in its favour, that nothing but our own bad 
 legislation can prevent its expansion, while the foreign 
 trade is always exposed to the jealousy or the ignorance 
 of some hostile tariff. 
 
 In explanation of the title of this letter, I wish it to be 
 clearly understood that I consider the Corn Laws can 
 only bo superseded by reducing the price to the level at 
 which foreign corn can be sold in the English market, 
 under ordinary circumstances, not at ruinously low prices, 
 as in 1822-3, when wheat was put on board at is. a bushel 
 at Odessa, occasioned by two or three fruitful seasons, 
 which will again occur, and with the same results, if the 
 Corn Laws are repealed, is sufficiently obvious; and it is 
 equally clear that if Sir Robert Peel’s measure be car¬ 
 ried, the landowners and farmers of this country will, in 
 addition to their o^vn difficulties, arising from the same 
 cause, have a portion of those of other countries to bear. 
 
 Although there may now be a less quantity of corn oq 
 hand than could be desired, occasioned by the failure of 
 the potato crop, and this alone, yet should the ensuing 
 harvest be as productive as that of 1844 throughout corn¬ 
 exporting countries, with an ordinary crop of potatoes, a 
 glut would be universal; and to make Great Britain, the 
 most heavily taxed country in the world, the emporium of 
 these countries, would be ruinous in the extreme, and 
 
24 
 
 ultimately no benefit to the importers, inasmuch as their 
 difficulties would have beeu much increased by the in¬ 
 ducement to extend their cultivation, by the repeat of 
 our Com Laws. 
 
 In conclusion, all that is here contended for is to afibrd 
 the British farmers and their labourers a fair oppor¬ 
 tunity of supplying the home market, by which they 
 would be far better customers to the trading community 
 than the foreigner, of which Mr. Porter’s Reports, else¬ 
 where alluded to, are sufficient evidence, especially if the 
 working people and lalourers were better paid. 
 
 Why an effective law on the subject of wages is not in 
 force is incomprehensible. If half as much time and 
 money had been expended upon this subject as there has 
 been upon the New Poor Law, there would have been 
 much less occasion for the latter. 
 
 Sir Robert Peel says, “ If any one dissents from that 
 which we propose, let him propose another.” Trusting 
 that what is here proposed is better than Sir Robert’s 
 plan, is the sincere belief of the author of this letter; 
 should it, however, not now be so considered by a majority 
 of the Legislature, it soon will be, and in much less time 
 than is fixed upon for the abolition of the present law. 
 
 I have the honour to be. 
 
 Your Lordships’ most obedient 
 
 and humble Servant, 
 
 Agricola. 
 
 London, March, 1846. 
 
 Posicnpt.—Having stated at page 5 the area of the 
 United Kingdom, and the uses to which it is appropriated, 
 so far as is necessary for this purpose, and at page 13, 
 that to raise a sum (6 millions sterling) which would 
 purchase all the grain required until the harvest of 1847, 
 
25 
 
 at the average price of corn (wheat, oats, and barley) at 
 this time, (25th March, 1846,) and assuming the quantity 
 required for the ensuing eighteen months to be 3 million 
 quarters, which is considerably more than the average 
 quantity imported during the last five years, wovM not 
 amount to one-half per cent, upon the value of the land and 
 the amount employed in its cultivation, and thinking it 
 desirable to satisfy the sceptic on this point, I give the 
 data below upon which this opinion is founded. I am 
 aware, at the same time, that there is a considerably 
 greater quantity in cultivation than is here stated j I did 
 this for the purpose of avoiding exaggeration as to the 
 present means of supplying the home market. 
 
 Estimate of the Landowners’ Interest. 
 
 47,000,000 acres in cultivation, at 25/. an 
 acre, amounts to .... £1,175,000,000 
 15,000,000 of waste, capable of being 
 cultivated mth a profit, at 6/. per 
 
 acre. 90,000,000 
 
 15,000,000 of waste, said to be irreclaim¬ 
 able with a profit, at 2/. an acre . 15,000,000 
 
 Estimate of Capital employed by Farmers 
 and Graziers. 
 
 47,000,000 acres in cultivation, at 8/. an 
 
 acre. 376,000,000 
 
 15,000,000 acres, capable of being im¬ 
 proved with a profit, at 1/. an acre . 15,000,000 
 
 15,000,000 acres, said to be irreclaim¬ 
 able, at 6 j. an acre . . . 4,500,000 
 
 £1,675,500,000 
 
One-half per cent, upon this sum amounts to 8,377,500/., 
 which is considerably more than would purchase 4 mil¬ 
 lions of quarters of com at present prices, viz., wheat, 
 oats, and barley. 
 
 Lest it should be said that no deduction is made for 
 woods, sites of towns, ways and water, I beg to state that 
 1 consider the wood upon lands appropriated to that pur¬ 
 pose to be of far greater value than the land occupied by 
 sites of towns, roads, &c., &c. 
 
 %• From observatioiu on the subject of sowing fla* anil turnips, it will 
 appear that this letter ought to have been published sooner; lhe_ author regrets 
 to lajr that the deta) was occasioned by illness.