194 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



there are too many landlords who neglect, there are those who 

 seek to perform, their duty, and to discharge their high responsi 

 bilities, arid who, actuated by an ardent spirit of philanthropy, 

 are sincerely anxious to ameliorate the condition of their depend 

 ents, and to raise them from their low estate. But what can be 

 done with people who are satisfied to burrow in a mud cabin, 

 or a mere hole in the earth, and to marry, and live, and to bring 

 children into the world, upon poverty and potatoes ? Mr. Blacker, 

 with the cooperation of the nobleman whose estate he manages, 

 has effected the most beneficial changes among his tenants, by 

 stimulating their pride, by multiplying their wants, by calling 

 out their self-respect, by teaching them the best modes of man 

 agement, and assisting them to pursue these modes. 



His first plan was to employ some respectable and skilful 

 farmers from Scotland, well qualified to teach, who were to serve 

 as agricultural instructors. They were themselves to occupy a 

 small farm, on which they were to exhibit an example of the 

 best mode of management and cultivation ; and, within a pre 

 scribed district, they were to visit the cottiers and small tenants, 

 and instruct them in these improvements, looking after them 

 frequently, reporting them, and encouraging them by the promise 

 of handsome premiums for superior skill and industry, to be be 

 stowed at the annual agricultural meeting, at the close of the 

 year. In addition to this, through his Scotch agents, or by him 

 self, Mr. Blacker offered the tenants aid in the form of seeds, 

 artificial manures, improved implements, and sometimes a cow. 

 the expense of which was all to be ultimately reimbursed. The 

 plan has succeeded admirably. One of the first visits was to a 

 small farmer, who had been at one time negligent, addicted to 

 intemperance, deeply in debt, and wholly discouraged, and with 

 out even a cow, so important a blessing in a poor man s family. 

 His habits were now changed ; he had applied himself most dili 

 gently to the cultivation and improvement of his little farm ; he 

 had paid his debts ; he was keeping two or three cows, and now 

 felt the pride and wore the port of a man. It would be diffi 

 cult to say what superior benefaction he could have bestowed 

 upon such a man ; and the beneficence was gratefully appreci 

 ated ; for there is a chord in the human heart from which the 

 touch of disinterested kindness seldom fails to bring a response. 



I will give the returns of some of these small tenants. 



