Farminrj of Leicestershire. 335 



qualities. Under cover the straw is the absorbent only of the 

 excrements of the cattle. The only landowner who seems to have 

 to any extent adopted this system is Lord Berners. At his 

 home farm-buildings he has a large covered dung-court, and we 

 saw three covered cattle-yards on other parts of the estate. 



The farm-buildings at Othorpe House, occupied by Mr. Craw- 

 shay, on Lord Cardigan's estate, have during the past year been 

 re-arranged, and the yards roofed over, according to plans fur- 

 nished by the writer, on the principle invented by Mr. Thompson, 

 Kirby Hall, Yorkshire. — See volume i., Second Series, p. 88, of 

 this Journal. 



The tenant does not hold a lease, but, nevertheless, he has 

 been at the sole expense of labour attending the alterations and 

 roofing over the yards, the landlord providing the materials. 



Mr. Crawshay's experience extends only to the present season, 

 but he writes to me as follows : — " I am perfectly satisfied with 

 my covered yard: 50 head of cattle, and over ^50 pigs, are doing 

 remarkably well in it. The labour of attending them is little, 

 food goes farthex', and hardly any litter is required in comparison 

 with an open yard." 



Of late years new buildings have chiefly been erected in those 

 districts where grass-land has been broken up, the new building 

 generally comprising barn, yard for cattle, and stabling for a 

 team of horses, sometimes with the addition of a cottage, which 

 is very essential, but more frequently this is omitted. 



Many of the older farm-houses and buildings are clustered 

 together in villages, being not unfrequently at the extreme out- 

 skirts of the farm.* 



Tenure of Farms. 



As a rule, to which there are very few exceptions, the farms 

 are held from year to year. Entries at Michaelmas and Lady 

 Day, but more generally the latter. 



A tenant-right custom prevails on most of the large estates, 

 and the payments to the outgoing by the incoming tenant or 

 landlord vary, but the following are the items usually paid for 

 over a large district in the south of the county. 



Michaelmas Entry. — Outgoing tenant to be paid for the land 

 in bare summer fallow, one year's rent and taxes, the labour in 

 cultivating, the cartage and spreading of farmyard-manure, and 

 the total cost of all purchased manures applied to the fallows. 



* A peculiarity in the stable arrangement is to be seen everywhere in Leicester- 

 shire, viz., the horses (cart) stand two or three together in a wide stall. The 

 construction is of course much cheaper than when every horse has a separate stall 

 and accidents seldom or never occur. 



VOL. II. — S. S. Z 



