84 THE LANDED INTEREST. 



the mode Committee comprised men of acknowledged emi- 



of working 



these nence on both sides of politics, great landowners 



loans, and 



their conversant with such subjects, and having more 



results. 



or less practical knowledge of agricultural affairs. 

 Twenty-three witnesses were examined from 

 various parts of the kingdom, all of whom had 

 experience of the system. Various instances 

 were adduced to show the unremunerative 

 nature of certain improvements, the explanation 

 of which was either injudicious and imperfect 

 execution of the works, or inadequacy of capital, 

 or energy, or knowledge, to follow them up by 

 good culture ; want of knowledge and expe- 

 rience on the part of the landowner or his agent, 

 or the usual circumstances of a similar nature 

 which are found here and there to occur in all 

 large operations, which must often be unwittingly 

 entrusted to weak or dishonest management. 

 As this inquiry embraced the execution of works 

 in all parts of Great Britain, spread over a period 

 of twenty-six years, and embracing an expendi- 

 ture then exceeding ten millions sterling, the 

 comparatively few and exceptional instances of 

 failure might be taken as a strong proof of the 



