wealbk01-第34章

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among　the　ancient　Italian　husbandmen；　as　we　learn　from　Columella。

He　decides；　like　a　true　lover　of　all　curious　cultivation；　in

favour　of　the　vineyard；　and　endeavours　to　show；　by　a　comparison

of　the　profit　and　expense；　that　it　was　a　most　advantageous

improvement。　Such　comparisons；　however；　between　the　profit　and

expense　of　new　projects　are　commonly　very　fallacious；　and　in

nothing　more　so　than　in　agriculture。　Had　the　gain　actually　made

by　such　plantations　been　commonly　as　great　as　he　imagined　it

might　have　been；　there　could　have　been　no　dispute　about　it。　The

same　point　is　frequently　at　this　day　a　matter　of　controversy　in

the　wine　countries。　Their　writers　on　agriculture；　indeed；　the

lovers　and　promoters　of　high　cultivation；　seem　generally　disposed

to　decide　with　Columella　in　favour　of　the　vineyard。　In　France　the

anxiety　of　the　proprietors　of　the　old　vineyards　to　prevent　the

planting　of　any　new　ones；　seems　to　favour　their　opinion；　and　to

indicate　a　consciousness　in　those　who　must　have　the　experience

that　this　species　of　cultivation　is　at　present　in　that　country

more　profitable　than　any　other。　It　seems　at　the　same　time；

however；　to　indicate　another　opinion；　that　this　superior　profit

can　last　no　longer　than　the　laws　which　at　present　restrain　the

free　cultivation　of　the　vine。　In　1731；　they　obtained　an　order　of

council　prohibiting　both　the　planting　of　new　vineyards　and　the

renewal　of　those　old　ones；　of　which　the　cultivation　had　been

interrupted　for　two　years；　without　a　particular　permission　from

the　king；　to　be　granted　only　in　consequence　of　an　information

from　the　intendant　of　the　province；　certifying　that　he　had

examined　the　land；　and　that　it　was　incapable　of　any　other

culture。　The　pretence　of　this　order　was　the　scarcity　of　corn　and

pasture；　and　the　superabundance　of　wine。　But　had　this

superabundance　been　real；　it　would；　without　any　order　of　council；

have　effectually　prevented　the　plantation　of　new　vineyards；　by

reducing　the　profits　of　this　species　of　cultivation　below　their

natural　proportion　to　those　of　corn　and　pasture。　With　regard　to

the　supposed　scarcity　of　corn；　occasioned　by　the　multiplication

of　vineyards；　corn　is　nowhere　in　France　more　carefully　cultivated

than　in　the　wine　provinces；　where　the　land　is　fit　for　producing

it；　as　in　Burgundy；　Guienne；　and　the　Upper　Languedoc。　The

numerous　hands　employed　in　the　one　species　of　cultivation

necessarily　encourage　the　other；　by　affording　a　ready　market　for

its　produce。　To　diminish　the　number　of　those　who　are　capable　of

paying　for　it　is　surely　a　most　unpromising　expedient　for

encouraging　the　cultivation　of　corn。　It　is　like　the　policy　which

would　promote　agriculture　by　discouraging　manufactures。

　　　　　The　rent　and　profit　of　those　productions；　therefore；　which

require　either　a　greater　original　expense　of　improvement　in　order

to　fit　the　land　for　them；　or　a　greater　annual　expense　of

cultivation；　though　often　much　superior　to　those　of　corn　and

pasture；　yet　when　they　do　no　more　than　compensate　such

extraordinary　expense；　are　in　reality　regulated　by　the　rent　and

profit　of　those　common　crops。

　　　　　It　sometimes　happens；　indeed；　that　the　quantity　of　land；

which　can　be　fitted　for　some　particular　produce；　is　too　small　to

supply　the　effectual　demand。　The　whole　produce　can　be　disposed　of

to　those　who　are　willing　to　give　somewhat　more　than　what　is

sufficient　to　pay　the　whole　rent；　wages；　and　profit　necessary　for

raising　and　bringing　it　to　market；　according　to　their　natural

rates；　or　according　to　the　rates　at　which　they　are　paid　in　the

greater　part　of　other　cultivated　land。　The　surplus　part　of　the

price　which　remains　after　defraying　the　whole　expense　of

improvement　and　cultivation　may　commonly；　in　this　case；　and　in

this　case　only；　bear　no　regular　proportion　to　the　like　surplus　in

corn　or　pasture；　but　may　exceed　it　in　almost　any　degree；　and　the

greater　part　of　this　excess　naturally　goes　to　the　rent　of　the

landlord。

　　　　　The　usual　and　natural　proportion；　for　example；　between　the

rent　and　profit　of　wine　and　those　of　corn　and　pasture　must　be

understood　to　take　place　only　with　regard　to　those　vineyards

which　produce　nothing　but　good　common　wine；　such　as　can　be　raised

almost　anywhere；　upon　any　light；　gravelly；　or　sandy　soil；　and

which　has　nothing　to　recommend　it　but　its　strength　and

wholesomeness。　It　is　with　such　vineyards　only　that　the　common

land　of　the　country　can　be　brought　into　competition；　for　with

those　of　a　peculiar　quality　it　is　evident　that　it　cannot。

　　　　　The　vine　is　more　affected　by　the　difference　of　soils　than

any　other　fruit　tree。　From　some　it　derives　a　flavour　which　no

culture　or　management　can　equal；　it　is　supposed；　upon　any　other。

This　flavour；　real　or　imaginary；　is　sometimes　peculiar　to　the

produce　of　a　few　vineyards；　sometimes　it　extends　through　the

greater　part　of　a　small　district；　and　sometimes　through　a

considerable　part　of　a　large　province。　The　whole　quantity　of　such

wines　that　is　brought　to　market　falls　short　of　the　effectual

demand；　or　the　demand　of　those　who　would　be　willing　to　pay　the

whole　rent；　profit；　and　wages；　necessary　for　preparing　and

bringing　them　thither；　according　to　the　ordinary　rate；　or

according　to　the　rate　at　which　they　are　paid　in　common　vineyards。

The　whole　quantity；　therefore；　can　be　disposed　of　to　those　who

are　willing　to　pay　more；　which　necessarily　raises　the　price　above

that　of　common　wine。　The　difference　is　greater　or　less　according

as　the　fashionableness　and　scarcity　of　the　wine　render　the

competition　of　the　buyers　more　or　less　eager。　Whatever　it　be；　the

greater　part　of　it　goes　to　the　rent　of　the　landlord。　For　though

such　vineyards　are　in　general　more　carefully　cultivated　than　most

others；　the　high　price　of　the　wine　seems　to　be　not　so　much　the

effect　as　the　cause　of　this　careful　cultivation。　In　so　valuable　a

produce　the　loss　occasioned　by　negligence　is　so　great　as　to　force

even　the　most　careless　to　attention。　A　small　part　of　this　high

price；　therefore；　is　sufficient　to　pay　the　wages　of　the

extraordinary　labour　bestowed　upon　their　cultivation；　and　the

profits　of　the　extraordinary　stock　which　puts　that　labour　into

motion。

　　　　　The　sugar　colonies　possessed　by　the　European　nations　in　the

West　Indies　may　be　compared　to　those　precious　vineyards。　Their

whole　produce　falls　short　of　the　effectual　demand　of　Europe；　and

can　be　disposed　of　to　those　who　are　willing　to　give　more　than

what　is　sufficient　to　pay　the　whole　rent；　profit；　and　wages

necessary　for　preparing　and　bringing　it　to　market；　according　to

the　rate　at　which　they　are　commonly　paid　by　any　other　produce。　In

Cochin　China　the　finest　white　sugar　commonly　sells　for　three

piasters　the　quintal；　about　thirteen　shillings　and　sixpence　of

our　money；　as　we　are　told　by　Mr。　Poivre；　a　very　careful　observer

of　the　agriculture　of　that　country。　What　is　there　called　the

quintal　weighs　from　a　hundred　and　fifty　to　two　hundred　Paris

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；