'^^ On the liiiprovetnent cf Landy ^r. X*^^* 



fonant to their inclinations, they ought to put the lands into the 

 hands of Ikilful tenants, whofe capital ftock is adequate to the 

 xincertakiiig required \ — encouraging them by long leafes and 

 low rents. If a fyftem like this were generally adopted, 1 have 

 hardly a doubt but that the moft barren of our wafte lands 

 would, in a fliort time, be very much meliorated. 



Allow me to put a hypothetical cafe, which will illuftrate the 

 bufinefs under confideration. Suppofe a farm in a high fituated 

 dilUi£"t, where the foil is cold and barren ; the climate wet ; the 

 face of the country naked, and unprotected by fences or planta- 

 tions ; unprovided with roads, except fome tracts m^arked out by 

 the carts and horfes who have paned ; at a great diilance from 

 lime, and other manures ; and, from the want of ditches and 

 vlrains, having all its beft and low- lying fields inundated with 

 water, during every (peat at the going away of a fnow ftorm. — 

 "Under thefc fupppoiit ions, (and they will upon enquiry be found 

 ^n many cafes to h(t faCIs) can it be expected that any tenant of 

 common fenfe will make improvements, if he fits on a fhort 

 leafe, or is rack-rented ? The portion of juftice he owes to him- 

 lelf, to his family and to his friends, deters him from making 

 uutlays greater than will be repaid by common hirfbandry : and 

 a rack-rent effectually difables him from ftepping out of the 

 beaten path, were he inclined to purfue a different courfe. 



From thefe things, the neglect of improvements in the cold 

 upland diftricls netd not excite any furprife. It is a necefiary 

 coijfecuence that follows the fyftem ufually adopted in fuch fitua- 

 tions, and can only be remedied by the introduction uf more 

 liberal plans. The proprietor who pofleiles land under fuch 

 circumiiances, nuift either be fatisiied with the value it will yield 

 in its fiaturul Aate, — or, if he wiHies to reap the full benefit of 

 his property, mull: caufe improvements to be made, in the firit 

 hrltance, at his own expence, or fet it to others upon terms that 

 will enable them to perform what is necefiary. A rack-rent and 

 an improving Icafe cannot keep company together j and, if the 

 one is to be got, the other muff be facrificed. 



If a good tenant is expected, the firiL thing required is to pro- 

 vide proper accommodations for him and his fomjly, his fervants 

 and farm Itock. Tenants will not now put up with fuch accom- 

 modation as fatisfied them in former times •, and a good tenant 

 knows how to eltimate his value, efpecially in a country where 

 improvements are the obje<^. Good roads, io as the tenant may 

 have comfortable accefs to the premifl'es, and through the feveral 

 lields thereof, will alio be conlidered as a dellrable benefit. The 

 farm fliould alfo be inclofed, or at lead a ring fence ought to be 

 •^redted, fo as the property of the tenant may be prote(^tcd from 



the 



