pened in our
territories on the Pacific. It may also be safely affirmed that the
causes for foreign demand, and which must hereafter operate, still
remain. These are the cheapness of land in this country, and the
peculiar adaptation of our soil and climate to the growth of the two
important cereals, wheat and maize.

Another fact, it seems to me, is of sufficient interest in
connection with this subject, to be here noticed. The failure of the
potato crop in various parts of the world for several years past has
engaged the attention of scientific and practical men.
Unfortunately, the nature of the blight which has seized upon this
tuber has eluded the most careful inquiries; but it has been shown
by well-conducted analyses that potatoes at their late prices are
the most expensive kind of farinaceous food. This will be evident
from the following statement:--

"Potatoes contain from about seventy to seventy-nine per cent. of
water, while the proportion in wheat flour is from twelve to
fourteen per cent; and while the gluten and albumen in potatoes
scarcely rise to one per cent., in wheat flour the range may be set
down at from nine to thirteen per cent. Again, the non-nitrogenous
principles are as about seventy-five per cent. in wheat flour
against fifteen or sixteen in potatoes. In short, whilst potatoes
supply only twenty per cent. of heat-forming and nutritious
principles, taken together, wheat supplies more than seventy per
cent. of the former, and more than tea of the latter. The value of
wheat to potatoes, therefore, is at least four to one; or, if wheat
sells at fifteen shillings sterling per cwt., potatoes to be equally
cheap, ought to sell at between three and four shillings."

The preceding results, for which I am principally indebted to Dr.
Daubeny, Professor of Chemistry at Oxford,[25] show that unless a
great change occurs in the culture of the potato, there must be an
increased demand for other kinds of farinaceous food. And it is
worthy of notice that while this blight is one of the causes which
bring to our shores the starving population of Europe, the raising
of the cereals not only furnishes profitable employment to the
emigrant, but enables him to make the best return to those who are
still obliged to remain.

_Adaptation of the soil and climate of the Un