The Land Remains 



and show the poor return obtained from their 

 estates due to the low rents charged. As soon as 

 his estate at Thorney was sold, the average rent 

 (or its equivalent estimated on the purchase 

 money) was probably doubled. Such men as the 

 late Lord Winchilsea spend their time working 

 for agriculturists. There is no doubt that living 

 on one of these estates is the finest lot that can 

 befall a farmer. He pays less rent than those in 

 the outside market, his buildings are excellent 

 and in the best repair, his house is comfortable 

 and sanitary, his rent is sometimes returned in a 

 disastrous year, he is sure of practical sympathy 

 in misfortune, and most important his tenure 

 is secure. There is, therefore, tremendous competi- 

 tion for such farms, and the method of choosing 

 tenants is perhaps the worst thing about them. 

 Agents lean too much to the relations of old 

 tenants instead of choosing the best men obtain- 

 able. As they could have the pick of the farmers 

 around to choose from, this is unfortunate, and 

 prevents good men from going forward. It is 

 difficult, perhaps impossible, to estimate the 

 difference to a landlord between good and bad 

 tenants. One is lost in amazement at the careless- 

 ness that some stewards betray in this matter, 

 but after all it is the landowner's affair. Be this 

 as it may, once the farmer is settled on such an 



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