18 00. of the County of Fife. 289 



rent, under fuch a regulation, would uniformly b^ greatefl 

 when the tenant was lead able to pay an advance. Let us 

 fuppofe that two bolls of grain (no matter of what kind^ was 

 the average rent of arable land, and that this, in ordinary 

 years, amounted in money to tl. 10s., which might undoub"- 

 ediy be paid when a fasr crop was procured. But reverfe 

 the cafe, and fuppofe that adverfe circumllances had occa- 

 fioned a failure of the crop, to the exfent generally calculated 

 this fcafon, viz. three eighths ; which failure would lelFen the 

 tenant's fales perhaps three- fourths, the fame quantity as ufujl 

 being required for feed corn and home-confumption. Now ic 

 might hcippen, and we are certain it has happened during this 

 fame year, that the tenant had not a quantity of produce to 

 fell equal to the value of the ipfa corpora he was bound to pay 

 the Irtndloid, independent of the fums necefTarily required for 

 defraying the expeuces of his farm, which, in unfavourable 

 jears, are always augmented ; whereas, had the rent been 

 paid in money, the extra-price received for the boils fjld, 

 might h.5ve compenfated for the deficiency of his fales. Lantl 

 is difpofed of in perpetuity for money, and why ihould not its 

 annual value for a limited time be afcertained in like manner .* 

 ' We differ from the opinion given p. 145% refpeding the 

 proper breadth cf ridges upon wet foils ; being experimentally 

 convinced that narrow ridges are pernicious in the extreme, 

 in fuch fnuations. Where the foil is of fufficient deepnefs to 

 bear three gatherings from the Hat, without impoverifiiing 

 the furrows, twenty- four feet is an excellent breadth ; under 

 different circumftances, they ought never to be lefs than eigh- 

 teen feet ; for all wet lands require a degree of acclivation not 

 to be gained uith propriety upon a leffer breadth. Calling is 

 a bad method of ploughing, if it can be avoided^ and is as fe!- 

 dom reforted to by good farmers as poffible. If crofs-piough- 

 mg was more pracSlifed, there would be little caule for ths 

 caiting of ridges, where a fuitable rotation of cropping is ad- 

 opted. 



An extenfive improvement upon the Lomond-hills, for- 

 merly attached to the palace of Falkland, but now the coni- 

 mon property of the furrounding heritors, is very properly 

 irecommended. From the nature of the law of 1695, wefuf- 

 pe£l it will be found neceffary to apply for a particular a£t 6f 

 Parliam.ent, before this valuable fubjedl can be divided. Ths 

 following extrads will {hew the lofs fuftained by allowing this 

 commonty to remain in its prefent ftate, 



yoL, 1. NO. Ill, D d The 



