r it, that we can get possession of. In
many cases this is so obvious that the remark seems absurd. Does any one
plant fruit trees on the sea sands, or sow corn among rocks? Of course
not, because there would be no result. No one is so foolish as to spend
his labour in a place where it would be wasted altogether. In other
cases it is a question of degree; there may be some produce here, but
there would be more produce there. In the south of England vines can be
made to grow in the open air, and, in former days, wine used to be made
from grapes grown in England. But vines grow much better on the sunny
hills of France, Spain, and Germany, and the wine which can there be
made with the same labour is far more plentiful and immensely better in
quality. Those, then, who want to make wine had much better remove to
the continent, or, still better, let the French, Spaniards, and Germans
produce wine for us. In England we have good soil and a moist climate
fitted for growing grass, and the best thing which our farmers can do is
to raise cattle and produce plenty of milk, butter, and cheese.

In order that the world may grow as rich as possible, each country
should give its attention to producing what it can produce most easily
in its present circumstances, getting other things in exchange by
foreign trade. The United States can raise endless quantities of cotton,
corn, bacon, meat, fruit, petroleum, besides plenty of gold, silver,
copper, iron, &c. Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa will furnish
much wool, hides, sugar, preserved meats, besides gold, copper, and
diamonds. Tropical Africa has palm oil, ivory, teak wood, gum, &c. South
America abounds in cattle from which we get tallow, hides, bones, horns,
essence of beef, &c. China supplies us with vast quantities of tea, in
addition to silk, ginger, and many minor commodities. India sends
cotton, indigo, jute, rice, seeds, sugar, spices, and all kinds of
other products. Every part of the world has some commodities which it
can produce better than other countries, and if men and governments were
wise, they would allow trade to be as free as possible, in order that
each thing shall be produced where it costs the least labour to produce
it.

#23. Work in the Best Manner.# Whatever the kind of industry carried on
in a place, we ought to take care, thirdly, that each labourer works in
the best manner, so as not to waste his labour or to make mistakes.
There are many different