98 Agriculture of Durham. 



under discussion both in and out of parliament, it has hardly 

 been saleable at any price. 



By an Act, 14 and 15 Vict, cap, 104, this church leasehold 

 property was permitted to be enfranchised during a certain 

 period ; this period is just about to come to a close, and it ap- 

 pears that not above a dozen parties in the county of Durham 

 have availed themselves of this opportunity, although the number 

 of lessees will amount to many hundreds. This is not supposed 

 to have been caused by a desire for the continuance of such a 

 tenure, but rather from an idea that the terms of enfranchisement 

 were unfavourable towards the lessees. 



Size of Farms. — Not only is the county divided into small 

 properties, but even the few large properties in it are divided 

 into small farms. By far the greatest number is under 200 acres. 

 A list of 575 farms which have been to let within the last few 

 years is thus divided : — 



The question of enlarging the size of farms in this county, by 

 adding two or three of the smaller ones together, has often been 

 discussed. Some argue that farmers of greater capital would be 

 procured, and the land generally managed with greater spirit ; 

 but on the other hand it is urged, with great appearance of truth, 

 that men of capital like better soil than that of which the greater 

 part of the county is composed ; and it has been much ques- 

 tioned whether the landowner might not have to run greater 

 risks of loss of rent by larger farms than he now does with his 

 small ones, on which, if he has tenants of small means, he has 

 generally men of industrious habits, who are always struggling 

 on to pay their rent and maintain their families. Undoubtedly, 

 however, this is one of the causes of the " backward condition 

 of agriculture in Durham," that the farmers generally on the 

 small farms are deficient in that capital which is necessary to 

 carry them on, according to new and improved modes of manage- 

 ment. 



Causes of hachcard condition of Agriculture in Durham. — I 

 may now be allowed to recapitulate what has appeared, from the 

 statements already made, to have been obstacles to the improve- 

 ment of agriculture in this county : — 



1, The larger than ordinary proportion of poor unproductive soil. 



2. The extent of land remaining in an uninclosed and " inter- 

 common " state up to a comparatively recent period. 



