SELF-HELP NOT PEOTECTION 



219 



be to prescribe the annual quantity of niannre, and tlie 

 course of the latter year's cultivation. To the class of 

 omissions belongs the want of a sliding scale to adjust 

 rents to the rise or fall of prices. Without such a scale a 

 fall in the value of agricultural produce places tenants 

 under leases at the mercy of landlords. The following system 

 is, it is believed, adopted on Lord Tollemache's estates ; 

 and although difficulties may arise in working out the per- 

 centages of the rise and fall, the fairness of the principle 

 admits of no dispute. 



Rise or fall upon the rents. 



Else of 25 per cent. 



„ 20 



„ 15 



„ 10 



5 



Fall of 5 

 „ 10 

 „ 15 

 „ 20 

 „ 25 



Upon this system, assuming the rent on which the 

 standard is obtained to be 1?. an acre, if prices reach 44s. 

 the rent only rises to 25s. an acre. On the other hand, if 

 prices fall to 19s. the rent falls to 15s. The scale for the 

 fall is less equitable than the scale for the rise. If prices 

 fell so low as the two last figures, the surplus profit for 

 rent would be a minus quantity. But though particular 

 percentages might always be disputed, the principle of 

 sliding scales and fluctuating rents is at once so reasonable 

 and practicable, that its adoption would go far to remove 

 those natural objections to leases which spring from fear 

 of falling prices and fixed outgoings. Mutual confidence 

 between landlord and tenant, just agreements, security for 



