LANDLORDS AND TENANTS 



without leases in the East Riding of Yorkshire, 

 "where a lease was never asked for, probably 

 never wished for," because the tenants were 

 "equally secure" when holding their farms from 

 year to year. 1 In Staffordshire the conditions 

 were much the same. 2 In Derbyshire, the Duke 

 of Devonshire granted no leases, "but owing to 

 his fair treatment of tenants" improvements were 

 carried on extensively ; but the other landlords of 

 the county were not able to inspire such confi- 

 dence. 3 Arthur Young, who was the champion 

 of long leases, laid down the general rule, that 

 upon rich soils where no improvements are nec- 

 essary, "the want of leases cannot be material ; but 

 where liming, marling, draining, fencing, etc., are 

 demanded, the want of a lease will often be the 

 want of the improvements." 4 



But while "tenancy at will" or "from year to 

 year" was quite satisfactory where no improve- 

 ments were to be made, or where the landlords 

 were able to win the confidence of their tenants, 

 the surveyors reported quite generally that the 

 security of long leases was necessary to induce the 

 farmers to carry on the needed improvements. 

 In remarking upon the lack of security to the 

 investments of tenants in England, at that time, 

 James Anderson says "an unprejudiced person, 



1 Survey, p. 72. 



2 Ibid., p. 31- 

 8 Ibid., p. 35- 



*Ibid., Lincolnshire, pp. 57-60. 



291 



