6 On the Size of Farms. 



and let at more than double the rent that could be obtained for it in one 

 farm. Many such instances could be mentioned. The finest farm in 

 the west of Scotland, (Girvari-mains, in Ayrshire), was long occupied 

 as one farm, at the rent of L.I 600 for 500 acres ; but the proprietor 

 has recently divided it into three farms, and gets more rent than he could 

 obtain for it from one tenant. 16. Large farms may pay more taxes ; 

 but however beneficial that may be to the revenue, it is no advantage in 

 an agricultural point of view. Farmers never consider the payment 

 of taxes a benefit, but the contrary. 17. If large farms are magazines 

 or depositories of farm produce, they are so much more dangerous in 

 raising prices of grain. Lastly, Farmers no doubt form an important 

 link in the chain of society, whatever be the extent of their posses- 

 sions ; but when they attempt to raise themselves above the sphere 

 of their profession, and aim at becoming gentlemen, they ought to dis- 

 continue farming, and let others who are more industrious, and less 

 ambitious, occupy their possessions. High life below stairs is far out 

 of place among farmers. 



But if these objections to large farms should not be satisfactory, 

 their bad effects on the condition of a numerous and valuable portion 

 of the labouring population, would render it desirable, that a large pro- 

 portion of the arable land should be at all times kept in farms of small 

 or moderate dimensions. Wherever large farms generally prevail, 

 nine out of every ten of the population of the district are reduced to 

 the condition of servitude, from which it is almost impossible that they 

 can ever extricate themselves. A hind in Lothian, or wherever there 

 are no farms of small or moderate dimensions, must continue in that 

 capacity during life, and his posterity must hold that station for ages 

 to come ; whereas the farm-servants in the western arable dis- 

 tricts of Scotland, if they continue to be frugal and industrious, can 

 soon become farmers on a small scale, and if prudent, they may raise 

 themselves to be farmers of the first, rank. Many havie done so, and 

 some have raised themselves to the rank of proprietors. Another unrea- 

 sonable conclusion come to or implied in the arguments for large farms, 

 is that those who occupy them are wealthy, active and intelligent ; and 

 that all others are poor, indolent and ignorant. Now, the truth is, 

 that although a man farming 1000 acres has ten times the capital of 

 one who occupies 100 acres, the two are on an equal footing ; and 

 intelligence is not attached exclusively, either to wealth or to length 

 or breadth of a farm ; and refinement of manners is out of the ques- 

 tion among farmers. 



Without, however, pursuing the controversy farther, it may be con- 

 cluded, that where a proper course of farming, suited to the lands and 

 local circumstances, is adopted, and due attention paid to the labour- 

 ing and cropping of the lands, the public interest is not materially in- 

 volved in the diversity of the size of farms. If all farms were to be 

 reduced to one size, whether great or small, it would be productive of 

 much inconvenience. If all farms were to be small, no room would be 

 left for the exercise of genius and enterprise ; and if all the farms were 

 to be large, a sufficient number of tenants, possessed of capital and 

 mental abilities for such weighty concerns, could not be found ; while 

 all persons of moderate fortune, however well qualified they might 



