THE 



COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE 



JULY 1872 



LONG LEASES AND TENANT-RIGHT. 



AT the last meeting of the Hungerford 

 Chamber of Agriculture, Mr H. 

 Stagg, commenting upon the advantages of 

 long leases, said : — In farming, as in other 

 things, many changes have occurred of late 

 years which very materially affect the culti- 

 vation and .arrangements. We have now 

 available greatly improved implements, arti- 

 ficial manures, steam ploughs, &c., to pro- 

 mote and assist the capability and pro- 

 ductiveness of the soil, but these new lights 

 (if I may be allowed to use the term) neces- 

 sarily require a considerable increase of capi- 

 tal to carry on a farm of magnitude 

 profitably ; therefore yearly tenants are most 

 disadvantageously situated as to these ap- 

 pliances, as it is but reasonable that 

 a tenant-farmer should have a substantial 

 guarantee to reap such advantages as might 

 be fairly calculated on. This cannot be 

 obtained in one year's occupation, and shews 

 the necessity of leases or written agreements 

 protecting the interests of the tenant for ex- 

 penses incurred by permanent improvements 

 or unexhausted artificial manures. Without 

 some substantial guarantee for protection to 

 a tenant, the productive capabilities of the 

 soil cannot be expected to be fully developed. 

 Every practical man knows the benefit of 

 high farming is not, in many particulars, felt 

 the first year, and therefore, there is no 

 security to a yearly tenant that he will retain 

 his occupation long enough to derive its 

 benefit. Whether from manures, steam 

 ploughing, corn or linseed cake feeding, 



VOL. IX. 



chalking, road-making, &c., a great dis- 

 advantage, as well as loss is experienced by 

 the occupier, and, indirectly, the public are 

 adversely affected by the capabilities of the 

 soil not being fully developed, and the larger 

 produce brought to market. With regard to 

 implements, which are now so necessary, but 

 very costly, it is a well known fact that a 

 second-hand article, if ever so good, seldom 

 realizes anything like its value, so that a 

 tenant (who has provided those appliances 

 at his own cost) is liable to a serious loss if 

 obliged to relinquish the occupation of a 

 farm after a short term. I do not mean to 

 imply that an outgoing tenant should be com- 

 pensated for such by the landlord, but I do 

 think that many misunderstandings which 

 occasion change of tenants would be pre- 

 vented if written agreements were more 

 generally in existence. And I am of 

 opinion that such agreements should contain 

 clauses to recoup an outgoing tenant for 

 outlay such as unexhausted manures, corn 

 and cake feeding, carriage of materials for 

 erecting new buildings, chalking, draining, 

 road making, &c. I doubt not some will 

 think it unnecessary to enter into these 

 particulars, but a careful observer cannot 

 fail to see, and frequently hear of great in- 

 justice occasioned by mistaken confidence. 

 Where so much capital is invested, a simple 

 verbal agreement, even for a yearly tenant, 

 is not a satisfactory holding, or calculated to 

 encourage good farming, however high in 

 repute the proprietor or his agent might be. 



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