38o 



On the Proper Size of Farms. 



oa. 



he, in faft, becomes better informed ; and as he has, 4, The 

 profi's of a greater quantity of ground in his hands, he is 

 thence more able to introduce an improv^ement in pra£lice or 

 in (tock, from another quarter, or better enabl id to propofe 

 it himfelf, from his own obfcrvatiou and experience. 



The real produce of the lands becomes thus augmented ; 

 and as there is lefs of it confumed at home, (there b;ing fewer 

 men and horfes to maintain), a ftill greater proportion goes to 

 market. 



The population on the land is alfo augmented ; for although 

 it be true, that the common operations of the farm are con- 

 ducted by fewer hands, yet there is always fome extra work 

 going forward in the various operations of improvement j 

 fuch as, in hedging, ditchmg, levelling, draining, building, 

 &c. which the little farmer never would have thought of, or 

 never have performed. The great farmer alfo excels the little 

 tenant in a circumiiance, which, more than any thing elfe, 

 conduces to the population ot the country; which is, that the 

 greater part of his fervants a e married., and have families ef their 

 envn: and this he choofes, not from any affectation ofpatriot- 

 ifm, but from a principle, of more efFe6live influence — a re- 

 gard ro his own intereif ; as he finds, that a numerous houfe- 

 hold of unmarried fervants are very unmanageable, and that 

 he is better ferved with fober married hinds, who board ia 

 their own houfes, at lefs expence, and more to their fatisfac- 

 tion, as well as his own. 



The following ftate, in regard to this point, of a farm in 

 the vicinity of Edinburgh, confiding of about 280 Scotifli 

 acres, and which, prior to 1736, was in three farms of two 

 ploughgates each, and which has fince been united into one, 

 fhows this in a more explicit manner. 



1735- 

 Families of farmers 



Ditto of cottagers 



Total families 

 Horfes - - - . 



9 



33 



-Ji 



At this period, the increafe 

 from the married fervants, 

 was not fufficient to keep up 

 the number of unmarried fer- 

 vants, who, of courfe, were ob- 

 ttined partly from the neigh- 

 bouring 



1793- 

 Family of the tarmer - I 



Families of cottagers - 14 



i Total families - - - 15 

 I Horfes ----- 16 



1 



I 



I At the prefent period, the 



j increafe from the marri&d 

 I fervants does much more than 

 ; fupply the population necef- 

 , fary. Their fons and daugh- 

 ters are therefore fent to lup- 



