326 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



agricultural writer of the time, William Marshall, 1 who wrote 

 as follows on this same subject, in 1795: "Marling is the 

 principal improvement of a Norfolk farm, but who would marl 

 on a seven years' lease? Where much marling is to be done, 

 fourteen years is too short a term." 



In some places, it is true, the old and simple system of holding 

 land from year to year was thought to be entirely satisfactory. 

 It was reported that great estates were let in full confidence 

 without leases in the East Riding of Yorkshire, " where a lease 

 was never asked for, probably never wished for," because the 

 tenants were " equally secure " when holding their farms from 

 year to year. 2 In Staffordshire the conditions were much the 

 same. 3 In Derbyshire, the Duke of Devonshire granted no 

 leases, "but owing to his fair treatment of tenants" improve- 

 ments were carried on extensively ; but the other landlords of 

 the county were not able to inspire such confidence. 4 Arthur 

 Young, who was the champion of long leases, laid down the 

 general rule, that upon rich soils where no improvements are 

 necessary, " the want of leases cannot be material ; but where 

 liming, marling, draining, fencing, etc., are demanded, the 

 want of a lease will often be the want of the improvements." 5 



But while " tenancy at will " or " from year to year " was 

 quite satisfactory where no improvements were to be made, or 

 where the landlords were able to win the confidence of their 

 tenants, the surveyors reported quite generally that the security 

 of long leases was necessary to induce the farmers to carry on 

 the needed improvements. In remarking upon the lack of 

 security to the investments of tenants in England, at that time, 

 James Anderson says " an unprejudiced person, who should 

 attentively consider the whole system of conduct pursued by 

 landed [proprietors, and the ideas that in general prevail in 

 this respect, would believe that agriculture was an employment 

 which it was deemed to be a good policy to repress above all 

 others." 6 



1 "Rural Economy of Norfolk," Vol. I, p. 68. * "Survey," p. 72. 



8 Ibid., p. 31. * Ibid., p. 35. 



*Ibid., "Lincolnshire," pp. 57-60, • "Agriculture," Vol. Ill, p. 92. 



