122 THE EQUIPMENT OF THE FARM. 



really beneficent method of removing the disabilit}^ of 

 the tenant for life, very properly require the whole 

 transaction to be carried out under the direction of a 

 Government Department. There are several companies 

 having private Acts, in addition to the general Land 

 Improvement Acts, through which money can be obtained 

 for estate improvement as for the provision of buildings, 

 roads, fences, embankments, drainage, even shelter (by 

 plantations), &c., who provide money at various terms 

 according to the state of the money-market generally at 

 the price of an annual rent-charge for 25 years of Q 10s. 

 to 6 15s. per cent, of the amount lent. But in all these 

 cases, any proposal from an owner, when once accepted, 

 comes before the Land Commissioners of England,* who 

 examine the plans, and by their inspectors investigate the cir- 

 cumstances. And if the proposal appears to them to be in the 

 permanent agricultural interest of the property, they allow 

 the rent-charge after the due completion of the works has 

 (again by the inspectors) been certified. A list of the 

 Land Acts and of these Land Companies, through any of 

 which the necessary Landlord Capital can be obtained, is 

 given in the Appendix. They are all, except the Land 

 Drainage Act and the Limited Owners Kesidence Act, for 

 general works of agricultural improvement. And any of 

 the five companies named have ample powers for all the 

 purposes which the owner of suiy estate requiring re-equip- 

 ment or permanent improvement can desire to have served. 

 The following list of such purposes is taken from the 

 published prospectuses of the various Lands Improve- 

 ment Companies, and is generally true of all the companies- 



* 3, St. James's Square, London, S.W. 



