THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



97 



that although Unseed cake had been used extensively in some 

 of the upper counties, where security was given for the outlay, 

 for some years past, it had only been introduced here about 

 ten years since, by Mr. Virtue, the agent of Dixon and Cardua, 

 and its sale, though small at first, had gradually increased year 

 by year. Then, again, there were so many other sorts of feed- 

 ing stuffs sold in the market, such as Indian corn, lentil?, &c„ 

 &c. Now, if they took it that Messrs. Dixon and Cardus, by 

 their agent, sold 1,000 tons of linseed cake, and estimated that 

 sold by other firms at 1,000 tons more, at about £11 Ts. 6d. 

 per ton, they would have an amount equal to that spent in 

 manures besides all the other feeding stnfifs named. He (the 

 speaker) would ask them whether this quantity might not be 

 doubled, nay trebled, and made to pay a good interest, pro- 

 vided tenants could be insured in their holdings ? They often 

 saw where money might be laid out advantasieously, if parties 

 were only sure of keeping their farms for a certain number of 

 years ; he believed, moreover, that if leases were generally 

 adopted, they would see machinery increase to a very great 

 extent. If a man were secure in his holding, he would doubt- 

 less adopt every modern principle of improvement, both in 

 culture and implements ; in fact, he would expend on the 

 farm every pound at his command, provided he could see any 

 chance of getting something like a return for his outlay, even 

 thongh it were ever so far distant. He would endeavour to 

 improve his farm in every possible way ; he would likewise see 

 the necessity of turning his attention to the improvement of 

 the labourer, knowing full well that if attention were paid to 

 his comforts, for every little sum of money he might lay out 

 he would be sure to be amply repaid. If they were to have 

 machinery introduced among them, as in Scotland, they would 

 find that they must have an improved class sf men for the 

 management of it. Now, he would ask why was it that 

 the Lothians of Scotland were held up as an example 

 to follow, and how came those parts to be so well culti- 

 vated ? Why, the fact was this — the tenants had 

 security for their capital, either by way of lease or 

 tenant-right. Mr. Reader then referred to a communication 

 which he had received from a friend in Scotland, regarding the 

 holdings of tenants. The writer, after drawing attention to a 

 town on the borders of Selkirk and Roxburghshire, near 

 which a small stream empties itself into the river Tweed, saysr 

 " The country to the north of this is mountainous, and pre- 

 sents a very rugged and barren appearance, and is in many 

 places so steep as to render cultiva'.ion impossible and most 

 difficult. Its rocks contain no fossil of any description, and 

 are very hard ; covering them, however, to various depths, is 

 a deposit of clay, of various degrees of tenacity. In some 

 places, where the underlying rocks are more brittle than in 

 others, the soil works easily ; in others it is very diflScult to 

 reduce it to good tilth. It nearly alKrequires to be drained ; 

 and when this is performed, and lime applied at the rate of 

 about four or five tons per acre, it will grow very good crops 

 of roots, grass, and corn. Not a great many years since the 

 only cultivation on the borders of the stream already men- 

 tioned was a mere strip of oats, and occasionally a little barley. 

 Now large fields are brought into cultivation on the steep 

 sides of the mountains ; and where a few years ago only 

 stunted heather, bad grass, and a little furze formed the only 

 productions, are now grown excellent crops of corn find roots. 

 One can frequently see two men sowing together, one of whom 

 sows oats, the other guano, despite its price. On most of 

 these farms there is a steam-engine fixed, which is the property 

 of the tenant; and by the goodly rows of feeding sheds, it is 

 at once evident that great attention is paid to beef-making. 

 The greater proportion of the draining of late years is done by 

 Government money, for which the tenant pays 6^ per cent. ; 

 but a large breadth is drained by the tenant, at his own ex- 

 pense, excepting the tiles. Without one exception, the whole 

 of these farms are held on leases of considerable length — 

 generally for 21 years — and the majority of the occupiers do 

 not expect to derive any profit until after the lease is half ex- 

 pired. Most of them make a good return for the money laid 

 out, and nearly all contribute greatly to the general improve- 

 ment of the district. Fixed for so long a period in one place, 

 a complete identification with loc»l and parochial affaire, and 

 a permanent interest in the labouring class, are fully secured ; 

 while all the time the tenant feeh quite at home, aud perfectly 

 independent, quietly pursuing his course, and year by year 

 adding section after section of the rugged steep to the culti- 



vated portion of his farm. He feels he has confidence in him- 

 self, his soil, and the means employed ; he regards his landlord 

 with feelings of respect. It is impossible that such land could 

 have been cultivated by tenant farmers without leases ; nor 

 without them would men of capital and skill have been attracted 

 to so unpromising a district. Much as the Lothians have 

 been talked about, and high as is the position to which they 

 have risen in the agricultural world, there is nothing there 

 which speaks so forcibly, or which proclaims so unmistake- 

 ably, the advantages of long leases, as the higher districts 

 present ; and where we find cultivated farms, of 300 or 

 400 acres in extent, where twenty or thirty years &%o not more 

 than one-third was under the plough, and that the breaking up 

 still coutinuei — where we find the face of the country so 

 changed — where we find everything altered, save one, namely, 

 the relation of landlord and tenant, aud that secured by a 

 tough bond of 21 years' length — where we find time only 

 deepens the impression that such long terras tend to the 

 benefit of all concerned — there need be little hesitation in re- 

 commending a similar bond to the notice of all parties, and 

 more especially to those who are compelled to farm under the 

 unsatisfactory tenure of one year. Many instances could be 

 named wherein the land which produced, only a few years 

 since, poor grass, heath, and broom, and which was not worth 

 Is. 6d. per acre, is now considered cheap at ISs. per acre. I 

 have just heard of an instance where, on a farm of 1,000 acres 

 of arable land, the tenant has expended, one way and another, 

 over £15,000, and hopes he will be repaid with good interest 

 before his lease expires. Of the indirect benefits of such a 

 system it is needless to say a word, as .hey are patent to all." 

 Mr Reader then proceeded to say that he thought this com- 

 munication from Scotland quite sufficient to prove the desira- 

 bility of long leases. They had often heard of Scotland, of 

 Norfolk, of Nottingham, &c., as being well farmed, and ex- 

 amples worthy of following, but they did not tell them the 

 cause of this good farming. They did not tell them that 

 security was given to the tenant, either by way of lease or 

 tenant-right. The system of making tenant-right at Not- 

 tingham was this : For bones, one-sixth after a crop of 

 turnips, the whole cost and carriage ; after one crop of corn 

 deduct two-sixths ; after one crop of corn aud grass mown, 

 one-half; after one crop of corn and two of grass, four-sixths ; 

 aud after two crops of corn and one year's grass, three-fourths. 

 For lime allow for two crops the whole value and labour before 

 a crop, and half labour after one crop. For all artificial 

 manures, snch as guano, rape-dust, superphosphate of lime, 

 &c., one-third, without carriage, after one crop of corn or 

 grass mown. For linseed cake one-fourth of the bill for the 

 last two years, and in many cases one-fourth aud one- 

 sixteenth. This was a tenant-right, which certainly would 

 hold out some inducement to invest money, but not to half 

 the extent as a good long lease. He would ask them to look 

 around, and see where was the tenant, holding his farm from 

 year to year, and liable to be turned out at six months' notice, 

 that could compete with his friend, the vice-chairman. (Hear, 

 hear). He (Mr. Reader) would ask him personally whether his 

 farm would have been so attractive as it was at the present 

 time, had he not been holding under a lease ? It might be 

 all very well for people to talk of the confidenee thi y had in 

 this and that gentleman; but this he did object to, as it was 

 not based on a sound and commercial principle; and, how had 

 they seen that confidence abused within the last few years ? 

 He took, as an instance, the Duke of Northumberland. Not 

 many years since his tenants thought they were safe ; but the 

 Duke offered a few prizes for good cultivation, &c., 

 and, after getting his farms improved by his tenants, he, 

 or his agent, with his sanction, drew up a lease, which 

 the tenants were to sign or quit. He (Mr. Reader) thought 

 it was admitted by all parties, who had the least knowledge of 

 farming, that it was quite impossible for any person to follow 

 the rules laid down, and the consequence was some of his 

 best tenants left. He believe he was right in saying that one 

 of the clauses gave the landlord or his steward the right to 

 take possession of the land and all stock, &c., on the farm, to 

 sell, and such like, and to deduct the rent, and what he 

 thought proper besides, for any litt'e deviation from the rules 

 prescribed in the lease, aud then hand over the rtmainder to 

 the tenant. Mr. Reader thou cited tlie case of another noble 

 earl who offered prizes in a similar way, and where a tenant 

 had spent iu improving his farm, in about five years, no lesa 



