Book III. EXECUTING IMPROVEMENTS. 689 



ments may be made with the tenants : for example, by granting long leases ; letting them 

 find the requisites of improvement, and take the advantages during their terms; by granting 

 shorter leases, with a covenant of remuneration for the remainder of such improvements 

 as they have made, at the time of quitting ; by granting leases, at a low rent, for the first 

 years of the term, to give the tenants time and ability to improve at their own expense ; 

 by advancing money to tenants at will, or, which is the same, making allowances of rent 

 for specified improvements, to be executed by them under the inspection and control 

 of the manager, they paying interest for the money advanced, or allowed ; by employ- 

 ing workmen on tenanted farms ; the tenants in like manner paying interest on the money 

 expended. The usual interest, till lately, was six per cent. ; thus estimating the value of 

 the improvement at sixteen years purchase. 



4242. Jlie moral and intellectual means of improving farm lands consists, as Marshal 

 has observed, in enlightening the minds of tenants. Though this mode is but of slow 

 operation, and respects more improvements in modes of culture, than such as require great 

 outlay; yet it deserves notice in this place, as necessary to second the efforts of the 

 landlord. 



4243. Farmers, as moral and intellectual agents, may be divided into reading men, and 

 illiterate beings ; the first class derive hints, for "rmprovement from bonks ; but the 

 second can only, if at all, derive benefit from example. 



4244. With respect to improving farmers bi/ books, agricultural newspapers, magazines, 

 and county surveys, are probably what would be read with most eagerness, and as such 

 works abound in statements of what actually has taken place in different situations, by 

 farmers like themselves, perhaps they are the most likely to stimulate to exertion. Histo- 

 rical relations of the agriculture of other ^countries are also generally interesting to 

 agriculturists, and though no great professional benefit is to be derived from them, yet 

 they tend to enlarge and liberalize the mind^ and promote a taste for knowledge. 

 Under these circumstances it may be worthy of consideration whether an agricultural 

 library might not be established in the steward's office of very extensive estates for the use 

 of the tenants and all other persons belonging to the estate who chose to read from it. 



4245. The establishment of schools for the children of the lower class of tenants, and 

 of cottagers of every description, is an obvious and important source of moral and intel- 

 lectual improvement ; and considering it as decided by experience and the most com- 

 petent judges, that the education of the lower classes will tend greatly to their amelioration 

 and the benefit of society at large, we are of opinion that wherever they are not already 

 estal)lished, they should be introduced. Working schools, somewhat in the German 

 manner (343.}, both for boys and girls, would also be a material improvement in such 

 districts as are behind in a taste for cleanliness, fire-side comforts, cookery, and dress. 



4246. Examples as stimuli to improvement may be exhibited in various ways ; by 

 letting a farm to a tenant of superior energy, or from a more improved district ; by ex- 

 hibiting improved implements and operations on one particular farm ; by an itinerant 

 ploughman of abilities, accompanied by a smith and carpenter, and with some imple- 

 ments, to go round the estate and instruct each tenant on his own farm ; and finally, and 

 perhaps preferably, by inducing every farmer to make a tour into some other district 

 once a year. 



4247. In addition to these modes, appropriate as we consider for two different classes 

 of tenants, Marshal suggests the following as calculated to insure; a spirit of improve- 

 ment among all farmers not of sufficient energy and intelligence. They are to be adopted 

 by a proprietor, or by the manager of an estate, who has a knowledge of rural affairs, 

 and who possesses the good will and confidence of its tenantry, in various Ways. 



4248. Hi/ personal attention only much is to be done. By reviewing an estate, once 

 or twice a year ; by conversing with each tenant in looking over his farm ; and by duly 

 noticing the instances of good management which rise to the eye, and condemning those 

 which are bad ; vanity and fear, two powerful stimulants of the human mind, will be 

 roused, and an emulation be created among superior managers ; while shame will scarcely 

 fail to bring up the more deserving of the inferior ranks. If, after repeated exhortations, 

 an irreclaimable sloven be discharged as such, and his farm given to another, professedly 

 for his superior qualifications as a husbandman, an alarm will presently be spread over 

 the estate, and none, but those who deserve to be discharged, will long remain in the 

 field of bad management. 



4249. Even by conversation, well directed, something may be done. If, instead of 

 collecting tenants to the audit, as sheep to the shearing, and sending them away, as 

 sheep that are shorn ; or if, on the contrary, instead of providing for them a sumptuous 

 entertainment, and committing them to their fate, in a state of intoxication ; a repast, 

 suited to their conditions and habits of life, were set before them ; and if, after this, 

 the conversation were to be benj towards agriculture, by distributing presents to superior 

 managers, specifying tlie particulars of excellence, for which the rewards or acknowledg- 

 ments were severally bestowed ; a spirit of emulation could not fail to take place among 



Yy 



