LANDLORD AND TENANT. 135 



were losers where the landlord had to take 

 less rent in consequence of the effects of over- 

 cropping; and where the away-going tenant left 

 without getting up his money. Evil consequences 

 of this kind have been generally avoided by 

 timely renewals, some four or five years or 

 the period of one rotation before the expiry of the 

 lease. Thus if a farm is cropped on a four- 

 course shift, four years five-course shift, five 

 years, and so on, before the expiry of the lease. 

 By this judicious arrangement, the tenant is 

 enabled to get his money out of the farm during 

 the ensuing lease, when it has been invested ; 

 and when it has not, he executes part of the 

 improvement during the last few years of the 

 expiring lease ; so that he is enabled to realise 

 the whole by the expiry of the ensuing one. 



In Ireland, tenants are similarly situated as 

 in Scotland, or rather superior, the duration of 

 leases being longer. Unfortunately, however, 

 for the Sister Isle her improvements have not 

 been of a very redeeming character, but the 

 reverse. The principal amount of meliorations 

 which have been executed by small tenants 

 are houses, fences, &c., and from the superficial 

 character of these, the tear and wear upon them 

 K 4 



