After all the fertile land in the immediate neighbourhood of the first settlers were cultivated, if capital and population increased, more food would be required, and it could only be procured from land not so advantageously situated.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the concept of diminishing returns in agriculture. It suggests that as the population and capital of a community grow, more food is needed to support the increased demand. However, since the most favorable and easily cultivable land in the vicinity of the initial settlements has already been used, additional food production will have to come from less fertile or less conveniently located areas. This reflects the idea that as resources become scarcer, more effort and resources are required to achieve the same level of productivity.

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