OF NORJOLK. 123 



In the courfe of time, this term began to be 

 reduced into a regular number of years. As mod 

 of the land was formerly under the regulation of 

 two crops and a fallow, the time allowed was from 

 three to twenty-one years, and the latter, in the 

 end, became the moft general limitation, and is 

 the mod prevalent term for leafes at this time (a). 



That leafes are the firft, the greateft, and moft 

 rational encouragement that can be given to 

 agriculture, admits not of a doubt, in my opinion; 

 but, of late years, there are very ftrong prejudices 

 entertained againft them. In this county, it is 

 rather the fafhion to grant leafes, which, in a great 

 meafure, accounts for the improvements that have 

 taken place in it ; moft of the great eftates have 

 been made from it : for, without leafes, no marl- 

 ing, to any extent, would have been undertaken, 

 nor fo much ground brought into cultivation, by 

 one-third, as there now is. The Holkham eftate, 

 alone, ftrongly proves this aflertion, as it has been 

 increafed, in the memory of man, from five to 

 upwards of twenty thoufand pounds a year, in 

 this county only, and is It ill increafing like a fnow 

 ball. Mr. Coke(£), the prefent owner of it, is a 

 real friend to agriculture, and juftly confidered as 

 one of the beft landlords in the county. From my 

 particular knowledge of him, I can fay, that at 

 leafl two years before his leafes expire, he puts 

 the tenant upon a footing of certainty, by Hating 



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