48 Tenure, whether in Property or on Lease. 



they were to reside on their own property, they would be tempt- 

 ed to live like gentlemen, and to indulge in idleness and in- 

 activity ( 1<5i ). Instances also have not been wanting, where, 

 owing to negligence, or other circumstances, the owner of 

 a small estate has been obliged to sell it, and having after- 

 wards hired the same land to farm, at a fair rent, has done 

 well ( 16 *). 



When the proprietors of considerable estates, cultivate 

 their own land, they may have one of five objects in view : 

 1. Accommodation; 2. The pleasure of farming; 3. The 

 profit that may attend it ; 4. To make useful experiments ; 

 and, 5. The general improvement of their property. 



1. It is not only a healthy, but a most useful employment, 

 for gentlemen residing in the country, to have some land in 

 their own possession, for the purpose of providing them- 

 selves with various articles which their families may require. 

 Perhaps those articles might often be purchased fully as 

 cheap at market; and it might be more profitable to the 

 proprietor, to let the land at a fair rent, than to occupy it 

 himself; but the occupation of land is a source of rational 

 amusement, and it is desirable for every proprietor residing 

 in the country, to have a spot which he can call his own, and 

 on which he and his family can take air and exercise. Be- 

 sides, if attention to a large extent of arable land be found in- 

 convenient, so much corn need only be raised by a land- 

 holder, as may be necessary for his own purposes ; and after 

 his fields are inclosed, and laid down to grass, he may let them 

 to farmers or graziers, reserving only what is absolutely 

 necessary for his own accommodation ( l63 ). What the ex- 

 tent of such accommodation land should be, need not be 

 here discussed, as it depends, upon the establishment kept up 

 by the proprietor, the portion of time spent by him in the 

 country, and the degree of superintendence that he can give 

 to his farm. 



2. When operations of agriculture were first attempted, it 

 was for the purpose of procuring the mere necessaries of life ; 

 but when these were once obtained, conveniencies and com- 

 forts were next sought after, and ultimately refinements. 

 Hence agriculture, which originally was considered a rude 

 and simple source of employment, became, in process 

 of time, a liberal art> capable of contributing to improve 

 the scenery of a rich domain, or to shelter and adorn the 

 residence of the great and powerful ( l64 ). This led to 

 the introduction of ornamental agriculture, as distinguished 

 from the useful. The distinction between them is, in gene- 



