IV 



tective duties on farm produce ; the opening of our ports 

 to unfettered commerce with corn-producing countries, 

 where rents are unknown and taxes nominal ; the extra- 

 ordinary diminution of our rural population by famine and 

 emigration ; the consequent increase of waste farms ; and 

 the radical changes in the proprietary, effected by the 

 operation of the Encumbered Estates Court. Previous 

 standards of value do not now apply, and competition no 

 longer exists to correct the estimates of the inexperienced. 

 Even for fiscal purposes, successive governments seem to 

 have considered existing valuations unsatisfactory, and 

 have laid before the House of Commons various bills to 

 regulate the whole subject. 



An attempt, therefore, at present, to render some assist- 

 ance to those who are interested in ascertaining the correct 

 value of land, seems to be necessary, and the more par- 

 ticularly, as the market rates for agricultural produce, 

 within the last four years, exhibit so little fluctuation, that 

 an average scale of prices may now safely be assumed as 

 a basis for constructing tables of value. How far the pre- 

 sent work may supply the desideratum, the public must 

 judge. 



The professional valuator, who is thoroughly conversant 

 with his business, will, probably, see little in this work of 

 much service to him ; for it is a book of elements, with 

 most of which he has been long familiar : but it is hoped 

 he will not be displeased to see an attempt made to ex- 

 hibit the importance of his own office, and have it intrusted 

 only to proper hands. 



There is a large class of clever men who have had con- 

 siderable experience in valuation, but have not enjoyed the 

 advantages of much preparatory education, to whom these 



