74 AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE. 



short calculation shows the owner whether he does better 

 to retain a farm in his own hands or to let it to a tenant, 

 and trade and manufactures open to ail persons other 

 sources of industry and gain besides agriculture. Before 

 the French invasion the term of a lease used to vary be- 

 tween twelve and twenty-four years, with a surrender 

 clause at the end of half the term. The French lawyers 

 (ixjrhaps rather the diminished credit which their invasion 

 caused) introduced shorter terms, that have since been 

 adhered to. Three, six, and nine years, with a surrwider 

 clause for every third year, are now common terms. 

 That farming originally here obtained on the Metayer 

 system, or for rents of half tlie produce of the land, is 

 evinced by one of the names still used to designate a 

 small farmer, viz., " Halbwinner," or one who gains half 

 the produce. Such contracts are still to be found here 

 and there on a small scale, but money-rents are now pre- 

 valent in the whole of this district. The sums agreed 

 for vary both according to the size of the holding and its 

 situation. We were told of a large estate of nearly 1000 

 acres that was let for 2800 francs, while small lots in the 

 immediate vicinity brought as much as 50 francs per 

 acre. In such cases it is difficult to learn w ithout minute 

 inquiry what burdens devolve upon the tenant besides 

 the rent, for he frequently undertakes all the responsi- 

 bility for roads, schools, churches, &c., to which the land- 

 lord is liable. In the neighbourhood of the estate men- 

 tioned lies another, 300 morgens in extent, which pays 

 six francs per acre. But these sums give no correct idea 

 of the value of land at present, it being impossible to 

 procure small well-situated lots under 10 dollars, and 



