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proportionably higher or lower than that of other butcher's meat；
according as the nature of the country； and the state of its
agriculture； happen to render the feeding of hogs more or less
expensive than that of other cattle。 In France； according to Mr。
Buffon； the price of pork is nearly equal to that of beef。 In
most parts of Great Britain it is at present somewhat higher。
The great rise in the price of both hogs and poultry has in
Great Britain been frequently imputed to the diminution of the
number of cottagers and other small occupiers of land； an event
which has in every part of Europe been the immediate forerunner
of improvement and better cultivation； but which at the same time
may have contributed to raise the price of those articles both
somewhat sooner and somewhat faster than it would otherwise have
risen。 As the poorest family can often maintain a cat or a dog
without any expense； so the poorest occupiers of land can
commonly maintain a few poultry； or a sow and a few pigs； at very
little。 The little offals of their own table； their whey； skimmed
milk； and buttermilk； supply those animals with a part of their
food； and they find the rest in the neighbouring fields without
doing any sensible damage to anybody。 By diminishing the number
of those small occupiers； therefore； the quantity of this sort of
provisions； which is thus produced at little or no expense； must
certainly have been a good deal diminished； and their price must
consequently have been raised both sooner and faster than it
would otherwise have risen。 Sooner or later； however； in the
progress of improvement； it must at any rate have risen to the
utmost height to which it is capable of rising； or to the price
which pays the labour and expense of cultivating the land which
furnishes them with food as well as these are paid upon the
greater part of other cultivated land。
The business of the dairy； like the feeding of hogs and
poultry； is originally carried on as a save…all。 The cattle
necessarily kept upon the farm produce more milk than either the
rearing of their own young or the consumption of the farmer's
family requires； and they produce most at one particular season。
But of all the productions of land； milk is perhaps the most
perishable。 In the warm season； when it is most abundant； it will
scarce keep four…and…twenty hours。 The farmer； by making it into
fresh butter； stores a small part of it for a week： by making it
into salt butter； for a year： and by making it into cheese； he
stores a much greater part of it for several years。 Part of all
these is reserved for the use of his own family。 The rest goes to
market； in order to find the best price which is to be had； and
which can scarce be so low as to discourage him from sending
thither whatever is over and above the use of his own family。 If
it is very low； indeed； he will be likely to manage his dairy in
a very slovenly and dirty manner； and will scarce perhaps think
it worth while to have a particular room or building on purpose
for it； but will suffer the business to be carried on amidst the
smoke； filth； and nastiness of his own kitchen； as was the case
of almost all the farmers' dairies in Scotland thirty or forty
years ago； and as is the case of many of them still。 The same
causes which gradually raise the price of butcher's meat； the
increase of the demand； and； in consequence of the improvement of
the country； the diminution of the quantity which can be fed at
little or no expense； raise； in the same manner； that of the
produce of the dairy； of which the price naturally connects with
that of butcher's meat； or with the expense of feeding cattle。
The increase of price pays for more labour； care； and
cleanliness。 The dairy becomes more worthy of the farmer's
attention； and the quality of its produce gradually improves。 The
price at last gets so high that it becomes worth while to employ
some of the most fertile and best cultivated lands in feeding
cattle merely for the purpose of the dairy； and when it has got
to this height； it cannot well go higher。 If it did； more land
would soon be turned to this purpose。 It seems to have got to
this height through the greater part of England； where much good
land is commonly employed in this manner。 If you except the
neighbourhood of a few considerable towns； it seems not yet to
have got to this height anywhere in Scotland； where common
farmers seldom employ much good land in raising food for cattle
merely for the purpose of the dairy。 The price of the produce；
though it has risen very considerably within these few years； is
probably still too low to admit of it。 The inferiority of the
quality； indeed； compared with that of the produce of English
dairies； is fully equal to that of the price。 But this
inferiority of quality is； perhaps； rather the effect of this
lowness of price than the cause of it。 Though the quality was
much better； the greater part of what is brought to market could
not； I apprehend； in the present circumstances of the country； be
disposed of at a much better price； and the present price； it is
probable would not pay the expense of the land and labour
necessary for producing a much better quality。 Though the greater
part of England； notwithstanding the superiority of price； the
dairy is not reckoned a more profitable employment of land than
the raising of corn； or the fattening of cattle； the two great
objects of agriculture。 Through the greater part of Scotland；
therefore； it cannot yet be even so profitable。
The lands of no country； it is evident； can ever be
completely cultivated and improved till once the price of every
produce； which human industry is obliged to raise upon them； has
got so high as to pay for the expense of complete improvement and
cultivation。 In order to do this； the price of each particular
produce must be sufficient； first； to pay the rent of good corn
land； as it is that which regulates the rent of the greater part
of other cultivated land； and； secondly； to pay the labour and
expense of the farmer as well as they are commonly paid upon good
corn land； or； in other words； to replace with the ordinary
profits the stock which he employs about it。 This rise in the
price of each particular produce must evidently be previous to
the improvement and cultivation of the land which is destined for
raising it。 Gain is the end of all improvement； and nothing could
deserve that name of which loss was to be the necessary
consequence。 But loss must be the necessary consequence of
improving land for the sake of a produce of which the price could
never bring back the expense。 If the complete improvement and
cultivation of the country be； as it most certainly is； the
greatest of all public advantages； this rise in the price of all
those different sorts of rude produce； instead of being
considered as a public calamity； ought to be regarded as the
necessary forerunner and attendant of the