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weight and sort。 This high price in 1764 is； however； four
shillings and eightpence cheaper than the ordinary price paid by
Prince Henry； and it is the best beef only； it must be observed；
which is fit to be salted for those distant voyages。
The price paid by Prince Henry amounts to 3 3/4d。 per pound
weight of the whole carcase； coarse and choice pieces taken
together； and at that rate the choice pieces could not have been
sold by retail for less than 4 1/2d。 or 5d。 the pound。
In the Parliamentary inquiry in 1764； the witnesses stated
the price of the choice pieces of the best beef to be to the
consumer 4d。 and 4 1/4d。 the pound； and the coarse pieces in
general to be from seven farthings to 2 1/2d。 and this they said
was in general one halfpenny dearer than the same sort of pieces
had usually been sold in the month of March。 But even this high
price is still a good deal cheaper than what we can well suppose
the ordinary retail price to have been the time of Prince Henry。
During the twelve first years of the last century； the
average price of the best wheat at the Windsor market was L1 18s。
3 1/6d。 the quarter of nine Winchester bushels。
But in the twelve years preceding 1764； including that year；
the average price of the same measure of the best wheat at the
same market was L2 1s。 9 1/2d。
In the twelve first years of the last century； therefore；
wheat appears to have been a good deal cheaper； and butcher's
meat a good deal dearer； than in the twelve years preceding 1764；
including that year。
In all great countries the greater part of the cultivated
lands are employed in producing either food for men or food for
cattle。 The rent and profit of these regulate the rent and profit
of all other cultivated land。 If any particular produce afforded
less； the land would soon be turned into corn or pasture； and if
any afforded more； some part of the lands in corn or pasture
would soon be turned to that produce。
Those productions； indeed； which require either a greater
original expense of improvement； or a greater annual expense of
cultivation； in order to fit the land for them； appear commonly
to afford； the one a greater rent； the other a greater profit
than corn or pasture。 This superiority； however； will seldom be
found to amount to more than a reasonable interest or
compensation for this superior expense。
In a hop garden； a fruit garden； a kitchen garden； both the
rent of the landlord； and the profit of the farmer； are generally
greater than in a corn or grass field。 But to bring the ground
into this condition requires more expense。 Hence a greater rent
becomes due to the landlord。 It requires； too； a more attentive
and skilful management。 Hence a greater profit becomes due to the
farmer。 The crop too； at least in the hop and fruit garden； is
more precarious。 Its price； therefore； besides compensating all
occasional losses； must afford something like the profit of
insurance。 The circumstances of gardeners； generally mean； and
always moderate； may satisfy us that their great ingenuity is not
commonly over…recompensed。 Their delightful art is practised by
so many rich people for amusement； that little advantage is to be
made by those who practise it for profit； because the persons who
should naturally be their best customers supply themselves with
all their most precious productions。
The advantage which the landlord derives from such
improvements seems at no time to have been greater than what was
sufficient to compensate the original expense of making them。 In
the ancient husbandry； after the vineyard； a well…watered kitchen
garden seems to have been the part of the farm which was supposed
to yield the most valuable produce。 But Democritus； who wrote
upon husbandry about two thousand years ago； and who was regarded
by the ancients as one of the fathers of the art； thought they
did not act wisely who enclosed a kitchen garden。 The profit； he
said； would not compensate the expense of a stone wall； and
bricks （he meant； I suppose； bricks baked in the sun） mouldered
with the rain； and the winter storm； and required continual
repairs。 Columella； who reports this judgment of Democritus； does
not controvert it； but proposes a very frugal method of enclosing
with a hedge of brambles and briars； which； he says； he had found
by experience to be both a lasting and an impenetrable fence； but
which； it seems； was not commonly known in the time of
Democritus。 Palladius adopts the opinion of Columella； which had
before been recommended by Varro。 In the judgment of those
ancient improvers； the produce of a kitchen garden had； it seems；
been little more than sufficient to pay the extraordinary culture
and the expense of watering； for in countries so near the sun； it
was thought proper； in those times as in the present； to have the
command of a stream of water which could be conducted to every
bed in the garden。 Through the greater part of Europe a kitchen
garden is not at present supposed to deserve a better enclosure
than that recommended by Columella。 In Great Britain； and some
other northern countries； the finer fruits cannot be brought to
perfection but by the assistance of a wall。 Their price；
therefore； in such countries must be sufficient to pay the
expense of building and maintaining what they cannot be had
without。 The fruit…wall frequently surrounds the kitchen garden；
which thus enjoys the benefit of an enclosure which its own
produce could seldom pay for。
That the vineyard； when properly planted and brought to
perfection； was the most valuable part of the farm； seems to have
been an undoubted maxim in the ancient agriculture； as it is in
the modern through all the wine countries。 But whether it was
advantageous to plant a new vineyard was a matter of dispute
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 sam