Par* III. Book I. PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 55I 



PART III. 



AGRICULTURE AS PRACTISED IN BRITAIN. 



3385. In the first Part of this work we have endeavoured to give a concise view of 

 the actual state of agriculture in every country, with a view to interest the reader in the 

 subject, and prepare him for entering in detail on the elementary principles of the art. In 

 the second Part, these principles and elementary departments of agricultural knowledge 

 have been developed in successive views of the nature of vegetables, animals, and soils, 

 and the mechanism and science of agricultural implements and operations. As far as 

 these elementary principles go, they are applicable to the agriculture of every part of the 

 world, with the modifications required by different physical and geographical circum- 

 stances ; but as such an application is not required, in a work designed principally for 

 this country, we limit this part of our work to the agriculture of Britain, in its most im- 

 proved mode of practice. In the extensive sense in which we have applied the term 

 Agriculture, this will include, 1st, the valuation, purchase, and transfer of landed pro- 

 perty; 2d, its laying out, or arrangement; 3d, its improvement; and 4th, its manage- 

 ment; 5th, the hiring and stocking of farms ; 6th, the culture of farm lands; and 7th, 

 the economy of live stock and the dairy. 



BOOK I. 



OF THE VALUATION, PURCHASE, AND TRANSFER OF LANDED PROPERTY. 



3386. On the existence of property depends all human improvement. Personal property 

 is the first acquirement of man ; but scarcely any progress is made in civilization till 

 property in land is established and rendered secure. Landed property, indeed, is the 

 basis on which every other material property is founded, and the origin from which it has 

 sprung. The landed estates of Britain, as a species of property, may be considered in 

 regard to tenure, valuation, and transfer. 



Chap. I. 

 The different Kinds and Tenures of Landed Propierty in the British Isles. 



3387. As landed property is somewhat different as to tenure in the three kingdoms, we 

 shall notice the leading features in each separately. 



Sect. I. The Kinds of Landed Property, and its different Tenures, in England. 



3388. Territorial property in England, Marshal observes, aptly separates into two 

 principal divisions; — namely, into possessory property, or the actual possession of the 

 lands and their appurtenances ; and into abstract rights arising out of them. 



3389. Possessory property comprises the soil or land itself; the minerals and fossils 

 it covers ; the waters annexed to it ; the wood and herbage it produces ; and the build- 

 ings, fences, &c. thereon erected. 



3390. Abstract rights are, seigniorial, as chief rents, &c. ; manorial, as quit-rents, 

 fines, &c. ; prescriptive, as common rights ; predial, as tithes ; parochial, as taxes. 



3391. Advoicson and parliamentary interest might be added, as they are not unfre- 

 quently attached to landed property. 



3392. Possessory projierty is further liable to analysis, and to more particular distinc- 

 tions. 



3393. Freehold. If lands are held unconditionally, and in full possession, without any 

 other superior than the constitution and laws of the country, they are termed freehold; 

 a term which admits of still further distinctions. 



3394. Feefarmhold. If they are liable to regular and fixed annual payments, beneath 

 their rental value, and without being liable to fine, heriot, or forfeiture, they nrvfnfarm- 

 h'j/d, or other inferior holding. 



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