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them； but the rent which the landlord and the profit which the
farmer could have drawn from such land employed in tillage。 The
cattle bred upon the most uncultivated moors； when brought to the
same market； are； in proportion to their weight or goodness； sold
at the same price as those which are reared upon the most
improved land。 The proprietors of those moors profit by it； and
raise the rent of their land in proportion to the price of their
cattle。 It is not more than a century ago that in many parts of
the highlands of Scotland； butcher's meat was as cheap or cheaper
than even bread made of oatmeal。 The union opened the market of
England to the highland cattle。 Their ordinary price is at
present about three times greater than at the beginning of the
century； and the rents of many highland estates have been tripled
and quadrupled in the same time。 In almost every part of Great
Britain a pound of the best butcher's meat is； in the present
times； generally worth more than two pounds of the best white
bread； and in plentiful years it is sometimes worth three or four
pounds。
It is thus that in the progress of improvement the rent and
profit of unimproved pasture come to be regulated in some measure
by the rent and profit of what is improved； and these again by
the rent and profit of corn。 Corn is an annual crop。 Butcher's
meat； a crop which requires four or five years to grow。 As an
acre of land； therefore； will produce a much smaller quantity of
the one species of food than of the other； the inferiority of the
quantity must be compensated by the superiority of the price。 If
it was more than compensated； more corn land would be turned into
pasture； and if it was not compensated； part of what was in
pasture would be brought back into corn。
This equality； however； between the rent and profit of grass
and those of corn； of the land of which the immediate produce is
food for cattle； and of that of which the immediate produce is
food for men； must be understood to take place only through the
greater part of the improved lands of a great country。 In some
particular local situations it is quite otherwise； and the rent
and profit of grass are much superior to what can be made by
corn。
Thus in the neighbourhood of a great town the demand for
milk and for forage to horses frequently contribute； together
with the high price of butcher's meat； to raise the value of
grass above what may be called its natural proportion to that of
corn。 This local advantage； it is evident； cannot be communicated
to the lands at a distance。
Particular circumstances have sometimes rendered some
countries so populous that the whole territory； like the lands in
the neighbourhood of a great town； has not been sufficient to
produce both the grass and the corn necessary for the subsistence
of their inhabitants。 Their lands； therefore； have been
principally employed in the production of grass； the more bulky
commodity； and which cannot be so easily brought from a great
distance； and corn； the food of the great body of the people； has
been chiefly imported from foreign countries。 Holland is at
present in this situation； and a considerable part of ancient
Italy seems to have been so during the prosperity of the Romans。
To feed well； old Cato said； as we are told by Cicero； was the
first and most profitable thing in the management of a private
estate； to feed tolerably well； the second； and to feed ill； the
third。 To plough； he ranked only in the fourth place of profit
and advantage。 Tillage； indeed； in that part of ancient Italy
which lay in the neighbourhood of Rome； must have been very much
discouraged by the distributions of corn which were frequently
made to the people； either gratuitously； or at a very low price。
This corn was brought from the conquered provinces； of which
several； instead of taxes； were obliged to furnish a tenth part
of their produce at a stated price； about sixpence a peck； to the
republic。 The low price at which this corn was distributed to the
people must necessarily have sunk the price of what could be
brought to the Roman market from Latium； or the ancient territory
of Rome； and must have discouraged its cultivation in that
country。
In an open country too； of which the principal produce is
corn； a well…enclosed piece of grass will frequently rent higher
than any corn field in its neighbourhood。 It is convenient for
the maintenance of the cattle employed in the cultivation of the
corn； and its high rent is； in this case； not so properly paid
from the value of its own produce as from that of the corn lands
which are cultivated by means of it。 It is likely to fall； if
ever the neighbouring lands are completely enclosed。 The present
high rent of enclosed land in Scotland seems owing to the
scarcity of enclosure； and will probably last no longer than that
scarcity。 The advantage of enclosure is greater for pasture than
for corn。 It saves the labour of guarding the cattle； which feed
better； too； when they are not liable to be disturbed by their
keeper or his dog。
But where there is no local advantage of this kind； the rent
and profit of corn； or whatever else is the common vegetable food
or the people； must naturally regulate； upon the land which is
fit for producing it； the rent and profit of pasture。
The use of the artificial grasses； of turnips； carrots；
cabbages； and the other expedients which have been fallen upon to
make an equal quantity of land feed a greater number of cattle
than when in natural grass； should somewhat reduce； it might be
expected； the superiority which； in an improved country； the
price of butcher's meat naturally has over that of bread。 It
seems accordingly to have done so； and there is some reason for
believing that； at least in the London market； the price of
butcher's meat in proportion to the price of bread is a good deal
lower in the present times than it was in the beginning of the
last century。
In the appendix to the Life of Prince Henry； Doctor Birch
has given us an account of the prices of butcher's meat as
commonly paid by that prince。 It is there said that the four
quarters of an ox weighing six hundred pounds usually cost him
nine pounds ten shillings； or thereabouts； that is； thirty…one
shillings and eightpence per hundred pounds weight。 Prince Henry
died on the 6th of November 1612； in the nineteenth year of his
age。
In March 1764； there was a Parliamentary inquiry into the
causes of the high price of provisions at that time。 It was then；
among other proof to the same purpose； given in evidence by a
Virginia merchant； that in March 1763； he had victualled his
ships for twenty…four or twenty…five shillings the hundredweight
of beef； which he considered as the ordinary price； whereas； in
that dear year； he had paid twenty…seven shillings for the same
weight and sort。 This high price in 1764 is； however； four
shillings and eight