77 



power, my opinion is, that provided the country is not 

 involved in war, fifty-two shillings per quarter is the 

 highest average price that can fairly be expected. 



1 propose, therefore to ( landlords, that they should have 

 the rents of their farms, whether all arable, or part arable 

 and part grass land, estimated to correspond with the price 

 of wheat at 52s. per quarter ; but that the amount of 

 rent paid should, in the following manner, depend on the 

 price of wheat. For every two shillings per quarter which 

 the annual average returned price of wheat, up to the 1st 

 of March in each year, should fall below fifty-two shillings 

 per quarter, 2|- per cent, should be deducted from the esti- 

 mated rent. For every two shillings and sixpence per 

 quarter, which the annual average price should exceed iifty- 

 two shillings, 2| per cent, should be added to the estimated 

 rent. I am quite aware that numerous objections are likely 

 to be made to this proposal ; but I am fully persuaded they 

 may all of them be fairly and reasonably answered. It is 

 probable some tenants may say that they get a high price 

 for wheat from having a deficient quantity. That might, in 

 some year, possibly be the case ; but although, in other 

 years, they may have a low price from having an abundant 

 quantity, I make some allowance in the scale for a defi- 

 ciency of produce. 



The increase of rent from a higher price of wheat, would 

 not be all gain to the landlord, for he would have to pay 

 more for the food consumed in his family. With this plan, 

 the more rent tenants had to pay, the better would be the 

 times for them. Some may think the price of barley 

 should be taken into account. This is quite unnecessary : 

 the price of wheat will alone (take one time with another), 

 fairly answer as to the amount of rent. On clay-land farms, 

 nearly the whole of the rents must be obtained by the 

 receipts from the sale of wheat. As to oats, I decidedly 

 object to the returned price of them being taken into 

 account in a valuation of rent ; for a great portion of them 

 is sold by factors, who have kept them some considerable 

 time, at much waste and expense ; the prices, therefore, 

 returned, of oats, are much above the price which the 

 grower gets. 



It was my opinion, thirty years age, and it now remains 



