216 SELF-HELP NOT PROTECTION 



the fringe of the farmer's dijSiculties. His real grievance 

 against the landlord is the absence of security for unex- 

 hausted improvements under a lease. Ownership affords 

 the strongest encouragement to agricultural progress. On 

 large estates it cannot be combined Avith occupation ; the 

 relations of landlord and tenant must necessarily be 

 maintained. Tenants of the class of clievaliers of agricul- 

 tural industries are easily found, who cultivate the soil as 

 lodgers, skim and rob the land, and reduce farming to 

 leave to an exact science. But how can improving 

 farmers be induced to hire land ? Three plans have been 

 proposed. The first is to create peasant proprietors ; the 

 second is to recognise that dual ownership which is in- 

 volved in tenant-right ; the third, and most feasible pro- 

 position, is to secure to the tenant in the fullest degree 

 the benefit of the improvements which he effects. English 

 farmers have no claim to fixity of tenure ; but they may 

 fairly ask, and are entitled to obtain, absolute security for 

 their outlay. 



With high farming, tenant-right, in some form or other, 

 became an absolute necessity ; but the Legislature proved 

 slow to recognise the change in agricultural conditions. 

 Although the need of maintaining the fertility of the soil 

 increased every year, modern tenants possessed no more 

 security for outlay than medieval farmers who never put a 

 sixpence into the soil. How compensation should be given 

 is a much-debated question. Holdings acquire additional 

 value in three ways : first, by permanent improvements 

 effected by the landlord; secondly, by artificial manures 

 which produce a temporary increase in the fertility of the 

 soil ; thirdly, by a course of skilful farming, the effects of 

 which last for years, but are capable of exhaustion. No 

 question arises on the first head, and very little on the 



