The Mismanage7nent of Landed Property. 381 



under this pretence to have to pay for any improvement 

 which was calculated to increase the landlord's profits. 



Nor had this consideration escaped the notice of the advanced 

 thinkers of the day. In the reports to the Board, both from 

 Cumberland and Essex, attention is drawn to the subject, and 

 an outline sketched of the following form of lease, proposed 

 by Lord Kaimes, and amended by Dr. Anderson, in an agricul- 

 tural survey of Aberdeenshire. 



In Scotland it had long been customary to grant leases for 

 twenty-one years, and it was assumed that during this com- 

 paratively brief period it was possible for both landlord and 

 tenant to justly estimate the value of the land. Lord Kaimes 

 proposed that this term should be extended indefinitely, but 

 that at fixed periods a certain rise in the rent previously agreed 

 upon should take place. If, however, on the one hand, the 

 tenant could not see his way to carry on the farm at this 

 increased rate, he might, by giving one year's notice before 

 the close of the lease, determine the tenancy ; if, on the other 

 hand, the landlord thought he could better his position, he 

 might, by giving one month's notice, oust his tenant. It 

 might, however, occur that the increased value of the holding 

 was, either entirely or partially, due to the exertions and ex- 

 penditure of the tenant, and therefore Lord Kaimes stipulated 

 that the latter should have the option either (1) of receiving 

 ten years' purchase of the increased rent, or (2) of remaining 

 under a still further increased rental, or (3) of being entitled 

 to a ten years' purchase of the difference between the increased 

 rent specified in the original lease and his additional offer of 

 rent refused by the landlord.^ 



At first sight it would seem that every inducement possible 

 would have been thus offered to a tenant to pursue a course of 

 approved husbandry, and all necessity for restricting his course 

 of cropping removed. But on closer scrutiny Lord Kaimes' 

 scheme was discovered to contain grave defects. In almost 



^ All the good effects of this principle are contained in the form of 

 lease used on the Holkham Estate, and better still in the yeaidy agree- 

 ments of the Helmingham Estate. — English Land and English Land- 

 lords. Note on p. 373, G. C. Brodrick. 



