358 Cultivation of Moorland. 



at best only be conjectural, when the landlord hesitates to take 

 his share of the venture ! 



To simplify and economise the outlay in buildinjrs upon hill- 

 farms, I have found it a good plan to build at a fixed scale of 

 outlay, according to acreage. Let us suppose a case: thus, 

 should an application be made for a farm of say 300 acres, the 

 party is naturally ready to name his (already selected) spot 

 "upon the open moors," and the whereabouts to pitch his future 

 home ; these conversations over, and a guarantee given that the 

 party applying has sufficient five-pound notes for the proposed 

 undertaking on his part, the number or amount of buildings, 

 style of residence, &c., next forms a leading subject of the treaty 

 " to be or not to be." The printing of a general lease, tenant- 

 right compensation, memorandum, &c., is a small matter to over- 

 come ; and it is the want of some fixed basis to negotiate upon 

 for the buildings, which has led me to the plan of spending a 

 fixed amount of capital per acre in the erection of them. 



A tenant who proposes to rent and cultivate a farm of 300 

 acres of rough hill land is usually a man of the neighbourhood, 

 who has a heart for " roughing it," and can turn his own hand 

 to the plough when wanted. This tenant at once disclaims all 

 idea of a smart house, but asks for small yet convenient out- 

 buildings. Assuming that, upon an average of cases, these farms 

 are to have one-fourth of their lands lying waste for summer 

 pasturage, two fourths or half the farm as arable, and one-fourth 

 as meadow, an outlay of two guineas per acre upon the proposed 

 improved occupation will be ample for every requisite building 

 both at the fai'mstead and for cattle-sheds (linhays) at the water- 

 meadows. As a confirmation, I supply a plan of a farmstead 

 with its actual cost of erection, as also one of a cheap linhay 

 (open cattle-shed). 



By this plan every facility is afforded to the farmer for watch- 

 ing his farmyard occupations from his sitting-room or bedroom 

 wmdows, the use of water-power, and every other requisite for 

 his iarm. This plan may be adapted for yearly outlays, to be 

 spread over say four years, as per plan given for a farm of 100 

 acres and upwards at page 361. 



