114 



(ill)c iTarmcr's iUontl)!]) ilieitor. 



security and profit of the Shareliol,lfrs-,tlie bene- 

 fit of ifie J.umlovvner, uiid tlie welfire of the 

 Tenant. 



Mortgagers might iriiiisfer tlieir niorlgages to 

 the Conipany, witli full authority to carry out ne- 

 cessary iniprovetnents, oil coucfition of receiving 

 froui the Coropai.y all hciiefits ovrr anil ahove 

 five per cent, interest for the Company's c.ipital. 

 Should the Lundowner desire a sale, the ("oni- 

 pauy uould have the opportunity of piuchasing 

 outright liy puhlic competition ; or the Landlord 

 might have tlie power of redeeming his pmper- 

 ty, on piiying the Company principal and interest 

 tip to a period ol' snlKcient notice. 



In all cjises where there is not an absolute ?ale, 

 Landlords s-liould have the power of redeeming 

 their properly or trausfering it to another Com- 

 pany, under e(|uit.ilile arrangements to liotli par- 

 ties. The variations in renls and prices of corn 

 woidd he no greater, on aii aviMage,than the fluc- 

 tuations in railway or other shares. 



As to the tear of companies engrossing land, 

 the same ohjeclioii catmot apply lo them as to, 

 charities. Sharehohluts ijivcst for pi'ofi', and ri- 

 valry will necessarily prevent oppression. • What 

 Tenant wonhl not rallter trust to fair coir.petinu 

 under, a Company than to individual favor, cu- 

 pidity, or caprice, to say nothing of the uncertain- 

 ty of i.idividual life. 



Liindlords would also benefit. Frequently 

 now (I know several cases) a Landford, without 

 agricnitnral knowledge, is prevailed upon, liy a 

 designing or an iucouipetejit Tenant, who shows 

 an annual statenjent of heavy losses, to reduce 

 his rent, till he receives hut two per cent, for his 

 money. 



I proceed to consider — 

 The propritly of vnluing Improvements ; the defectn 



in the preseiit Sijaletn of J'riliifilions, unit its evil 



results to the Lamllonl, the Tenant, and the .Va- 



tion. 



JVow a bad Farmer is almost sure to get a ne« 

 lease (for who is anxious to take it after him,) 

 whilst a thorough good one is almost as certain to 

 be tui'iietl out, ttt- have his i-ent raiser! — the Lnnd- 

 loril being generally ready to avail hitnself of 

 those improvements wliidj a wise Farmer is com- 

 pelled to make for a iirofitnlile return. These 

 in)provemeut.s are bonn fide his property, and 

 ouL'htto he IclmIIv as much so as the coat on his 

 back ; and it is a scandal and disgrace that they 

 are not valued to'the incoming Tenant. 



Let us see, iu(acl,how it acts on the Landlord — 

 I shall [irove cleiU'ly he is a loser by it nhimalely. 



The outgoing Tenant is obliged in selfdel'ence 

 to starve the land and injure his crops the last 

 fi)ur years of his lease, whilst it takes tlie incom- 

 ing Tenant another four years to repair the ilam- 

 age done by his predecessor; so that between 

 the t.vo there is during' eight years less labor and 

 ca[>ital employe<l,' less Ibod grown, less profit 

 made, and an inciease in the poor's r;ite, withoni 

 any coiresptunling benelit to the i.auiMord. Ii, 

 nine cases out of ten an improving Tenant resi.^is 

 being charged a large inteiest, in the shape of in- 

 creased rent, on his own capita]. He luakesway 

 for .-1 miscalculating bad Farmer, who ruins the 

 land, rniiks lumself, and idtiuiately the Landlord 

 is ohiigei) lo put up with a small rent — not, how- 

 ever, till all parlies have been put to considera- 

 bln regret, inconvenience, and expense, arising 

 froin exchange of residence, to say nothing of 

 expensive sale.--, valuations, and leases, a non-acr- 

 qnaintauce with the peculiarities of a new fniii, 

 .Mini the hii-aUing-u|) of many friendiv .and rela- 

 tive lies, funned dining a local residence. 



With resiird to the pcruninrij relation of Land- 

 lord and Ttniint,\ shall endeavor to show that 

 Long Leases and .a Corn-rent (lliat is, the value 

 of so many bushels of wheat at tlu; current price 

 of the day) are essiMilially beneficial to both 

 Landlord and Tenant, as well as lo the connlry 

 at largi'. Under this .system Landloiil and Teu- 

 aiil have but one common interest — they rise or 

 fall together. The present ciislom olfi\ed money- 

 rents acts alternately most injuriously on both. — 

 An unexpected war may find a Tenant bcnelii- 

 iiig by an (Miormous priec; whilst his Landloril has 

 only his liinr percent. r(;duced, in tin-t, lo iwo 

 percent., by all comniodilies having risen to war 

 prices. 



On the other hatid, a Tenant hires on a war 

 lea.se — a sudden peace makci him bankrupt by 

 Ihe violent reaction ; and still his Landlord must 



let bis Farm at peace prices, whilst he was de- 

 prived of war henellls. 'I'he Lanillord is evident- 

 ly the greatest sufferer, and should hasten to u- 

 uieiid so iinfiir and so ruinous a .system. 



The want cf a icell founded code of rules for .'/g- 

 ricultural Improvement is mndi felt. At present 

 each indiviilnal claims tor his own plan the palm 

 of excellence. This must not longer be. 



Our Hoyal Agncultnral Society, to which eve- 

 ry Landowner and Farmer should belong, has al- 

 ready I'ffected v.'ist good; but still greater rem.ains 

 to be done. They shouhl have extensive model 

 fiu'iiis. with schools and liliiaiies attached. — 

 7'/ifre sliouhl be shown, after patient investiga- 

 tion, the most perfect and certain modes of drain- 

 age, irrigation, and warping; the most compleie, 

 durable, anil economical ai raiigement of bnild- 

 ings ; the most advantageous mode of tillage 

 and course of crops ; the gre.itest economy of 

 manure and labor; the minimum of seed and 

 uiiixiinum of distance in sowing; the most ad- 

 vani.'igeous stage of ripeness ; the effect of steep- 

 ing seeds in manures; the most profitable mode 

 'of housing and feeding stock, and the advaiil.-iges 

 of removing all trees and fences. When till these 

 nationtd and importaiit sulijecis are acciuately 

 aseeilained by a competent but limited board of 

 paid and respnn,sible Directois, deciding regard- 

 less of personal considerations, then let a code of 

 unerring rules he piomulgafd and ciilbrccd with 

 the full weight and sanction of the Society, as a 

 guide and a lieacou to the donblfiil wanderer in 

 search .of agricnltnral knowledge, who, eager to 

 avoid the slio;ds of error, is now distracted by 

 muhituflinous and conflicting opinions. 



Chemistry and iMeclianisni will, no doubt,daily 

 lend new aiils lo agricnitnre ; but the points I 

 have mentioned must always form the tinallera- 

 hle basis of ouragricultmal structure. 



Much is being said about how we are to pay 

 for our Foreign Corn Imporlalions, whether in 

 goods or in money. This is not our atlair ill all 

 — we are purchasers. If you will have foreign 

 corn, flax, and other things, ih.-it you might profi- 

 tably produce at home, you musl\>ny for them; 

 .-md the seller (the Ibreigner) will not allow you 

 to dictate to him how be shall take his payuien:, 

 whether in goods or in money ; that is liis affair, 

 not yours. The wdiole question of Foreii;n Corn 

 Importation is, to my mind, uivial and insignifi- 

 cant, as compared with Ihe importance of nation- 

 al Agriinilluial Improvement ; and I hope to S"e 

 the lalter occupy the minds uinl speeches of onr 

 statesmen and oralorsto theexclnsion of the fiir- 

 mer. I consider our dependence on foreigners 

 for food a glaring and national disgrace, unwor- 

 thy of our wealthy and highly civilized country. ■ 



Let us grow corn instead of timber, fences,and 

 riibhish : wo ciin do better witfiont the one than 

 tli(i (>ther. lam lold, " We must have timber! 

 what should we do iu case of war?" I answer, 

 '■ How do we get our tea, coflee, wine, and every 

 other foreign article in lime of war?" So long 

 ••IK we have money to hoy. and hearts of oak to 

 defend and convoy onr purchases, Old Eiigl.ind 

 can never fecf a want, nor waiit a markel to buy 

 in. 



Resides, what a gross folly it is lo grow our 

 own limber in corn fields, at a cos! of lour shill- 

 ings a liiot (1 am sure it costs more,) when we 

 can import it at one-third the price. 



A great error amongst Farmers is the desin- to 

 gr.ispa large ipianliiy of laiul, instead ofcoilccn- 

 traliui; their capital by improvement in a sii:!illcr 

 cmiipass. One of the iiupcniaiit resnlls of my 

 .-Uimeslious as to valniug and making iin|irove- 

 ments, would be, lliat iiislead of i;(i lo .08 per 

 acre being (as it is now on an avei-agc) a siilli- 

 cient Teiianl's capital, doiihle that amount would 

 be required, as on my liiriii. This alone \vould 

 (iiid employini-nt fiir coiisidi rably more than one 

 hundri'd millions of addiiimial capital, so thai, iu 

 fact, when w»! bad dispr.scd of ,'ill our foreign 

 bonds and securities, I doubt if we should have 

 xw.iw money enough to carry ont entirely my 

 practical scale of improvcmients, (;xcept slowly 

 mill gradually. 



Some genliemen think the removal of fi'Uccs 

 and ihrowing open the country would be delri- 

 meiilal lo game. This is contrary to the proof: 

 wherever land is tl.oidiighly clr.-iined and the lur- 

 nip ciilture introdiiccil, so surely "ill game (if 

 prolecled) thrive and incrc.-ise. Wet anil pasty 

 undraineii laud is inimical lo game — particularly 

 in n. wet season. 



Let Agricnltiue form an honorable portion of 

 our gener;d edncalion — w liy should it nut ■ Let 

 Tiill and Tnsser range side by side wiih Homer 

 and Virgil. Then would onr nobility and geniry 

 be independent of incompetent or dishonest 

 stewards .and land-agents, and be able to appre- 

 ciate those ofa niori; worthy character. Agricullii- 

 r.il Fducation and .\pprenticeships for onr young 

 Farmers are impeiaiive. Why should there not 

 be as much niiiformily in growing a sack of corn 

 as iu manuliictnring a piece of cotton, or hat, or 

 coat ? 



How many a woitli^ person, retiring from the 

 toils and turmoils of a busy city lo enjoy the 

 trampiil peace of Agiicnlliire, regrets the want 

 of agriciillnra) knowledge! — often are bis 

 hopes and intentions frnslrated and his jimp- 

 erty diminished by iiiterested or errotieous ad- 

 vice, of whirh, till loo late, he cannot judge. — 

 When I see Landlords making returns in rem (in 

 my (qfniion an ii'jiidicions operaiion,) I think how 

 much better wcuild it he to present their Tenants 

 with an Agricullnral Library. Farmer.', iVum 

 the very nature of their occiipalion,and their is<i- 

 laled posilion, are seldom able lo travel from 

 country to country iu search offiicls;but how 

 readily is a mullitnde of agricnltnral experiments 

 and experience brought lo their fireside by a se- 

 lection tdgood and practical books! Some ii.ay 

 say, "Oh, Farmers are too prejudiced to read." 

 Experience has taught me the contrary. Bring 

 them the hook — they may affect lo despise it, but 

 Ihey will keenly, aiixiously,aiid with sound sense, 

 scrutinize all that concerns their pecuniary wel- 

 fare. Reason tells us that the Farmer, lioru.breil, 

 aiul mixing with others of precisely the same 

 way of acting and thinking ;is himself, cannot be 

 expected to have so expanded a mind as a Manu- 

 facturer or Trader, who is daily in contact with 

 strangers from every corner of the globe. 



It is 10 be feared loo, that jealous Landlords 

 form too low ail eslimale ofa Farmer's characler, 

 and consider his success and elevation as ilcgiad- .j 

 ing them — as if his gains were their los.-. Let 

 us hope this feeling will gradually give way to a 

 belter,aiid that a Farmer who follows the lionnds, 

 and dresses and acts respectably, will be consid- 

 ered quite as lili<,ly to fiirm well and make as 

 good a member of society as one who iiiiitules in 

 every respect one of his laborers. 



Where individuals are desirous of improving 

 Iheir own estates wiiliout dishursiiig capital, I 

 know of no plan so good as allowing the Tenant 

 annually a certain sum out ol' his rent for iiu- 

 pro\euieuts, taking care that they are really bene- 

 ficial, which is very easily ascertained and iir- 

 ranged : generally s|)eakiug, TtMiaiits would most 

 readily coiitrihiite Iheir sliare, particularly in the 

 mailer of drainage. 



The national health is deeply concerned in ag- 

 ricultural improvement, for it is notorious that 

 perfect draiiuige of land and buildings insures 

 the absence of agues,fevers, anil other complaints, 

 that ;ire s;id drawbacks to the persmial welfare 

 and pecuniary comlbrls of our agiiculiural popu- 

 lation, to say nothing of the importance iu a na- 

 tional point of view, of having a hardy healihlul 

 race iu lieu of a dibilit.'Ucd and viliateil popula- 

 tion. 



The mind and the body are loo symiiathelic to. 

 be uninfluenced by each olher. Humanity, poli-J 

 cy, and self interest then eall loudly on us lo niiiiar 

 for tilt! worthy purpose of National Agricullurtil 

 Improve-meiit. 



I am. Sir, 



Your obedient Serx-nnt. 



I. J. .MFCIII. 



ab 





I' 



Lkahkniiai.i. Street, 

 lAutdon. Jul;/ 8, 1844. 



I shall publish annually, a failhfnl and I !*' 



correct Debtor and CreditoracconnI of my Fan 

 valuing Ihe crops and slock at one iiiii.''oriii avei^ 

 .age price (ihe aver.'i^c price in ihi! '•omiiy ol'F;^ 

 si'X for the last fourli'en years.) This will pievenl 

 confusion and admit of a cornet comparison 

 one ye;ir with anolhi'r. The ijunntit;! pri'ducci 

 and ihe cost ef producing, will be ihu principiij 

 .111(1 most Intel esliii!}' cnnsiderutions. 



Ill 

 il 



>ll 

 fit. 



("III 



l.'HII 

 J'lH 



L.\BORS OF A Locomotive. — Hon. Wm. .laclfi, 

 son. one of the most practical railroad men il 

 iMassaidinsells, has given some statistics of lb 

 labor ofa locomotive on Ihe We>lern railroai 

 which are interesting. Trnips of cars leave Uos 



