218 HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE 



founders of the Smithfield Cattle Show in 1 793, which helped 

 materially to improve the live stock of the country. 



The relations between landlord and tenant, judging from 

 the accounts of contemporary writers, were generally good. 

 Leases were less frequent than agreements voidable by six 

 months' notice on either side, and when there was a tenancy-at- 

 will the tenant who entered as a young man was often expected 

 to hand on the holding to his posterity, and therefore executed 

 improvements at his own cost, so complete was the trust 

 between landlord and tenant. Tenants then did much that 

 they would refuse to do to-day, as the following lease, common 

 in the Midlands in 1786, shows l : 



Tenant agrees to take, &c., and to pay the stipulated rent 

 within forty days, without any deduction for taxes, and 

 double rent so long as he continues to hold after notice 

 given. 



To repair buildings, accidents by fire excepted. 



To repair gates and fences. 



When required, to cut and plash the hedges, and make the 

 ditches 3 feet by 2 feet, or pay or cause to be paid to 

 the landlord is. per rood for such as shall not be done 

 after three months' notice has been given in writing. 



Not to break up certain lands specified in the schedule, ' under 

 ,20 an acre.' 



Not to plough more than a specified number of acres of the 

 rest of the land in any one year, under the same penalty. 



To forfeit the same sum for every acre that shall be ploughed 

 for any longer time than three crops successively, without 

 making a clean summer fallow thereof after the third 

 crop. 



And the like sum for every acre over and above a specified 

 number (clover excepted) that shall be mown in any one 

 year. 



At the time of laying down arable lands to grass he shall 

 manure them with 8 quarters of lime per acre, and sow 

 the same with 12 Ib. of clover seeds, and one bushel of 

 ryegrass per acre. 



1 Victoria County History : Warwickshire^ Agriculture. 



