SOMERSETSHIRE. S7 



the outgoing- aud incoming tenants, in the proportion of one-half to 

 each of that grown upon clover-lejs, and two-thirds to the outgoing 

 tenant, and one-third to tiie incoming tenant, of that grown upon 

 fahows. In a district on the southern side of the county it is the 

 custom for the outgoing tenant to take the whole of the wheat crop 

 ui)on quitting. It is the custom for the outgoing tenant not to depas- 

 ture the young clovers after the 2nd of November next previous to 

 quitting, and the meadow lands to be mown the following harvest arc 

 usually paid up for from the 2nd February next previous to the time of 

 quitting. The outgoing tenant is allowed the use of a boozy pasture 

 appointed by the landlord for the purpose of consuming thereon any 

 hay or straw unconsumed at the expiration of his tenancy, the Lady-day 

 previously: and his right in this terminates the 1st of May next after 

 he quits. The outgoing tenant has stackyard room for his share of the 

 way-going crop, and the use of a barn to thrash it in, till the 25th of 

 December next after his tenancy ends. He is paid by his successor for 

 the clover-seeds he has sown the last year previous to his quitting, upon 

 his producing the bills to show that he has purchased the same. He is 

 also paid a fair compensation for any ploughing he may have done for 

 the convenience of his successor. 



Somerscisldre. — The time of entry about Taunton and westward is 

 Michaelmas, but in other districts generally Lady-day. In the Michael- 

 mas lettings the incoming tenant has no right of entry for cultivation 

 before Michaelmas. He generally gets in to plough the turnip fallows ; 

 sometimes by virtue of a provision in the lease. It is only in these 

 lettings that the manure can be used for potatoes. In the Lady-day 

 lettings there is great difficulty in getting possession of the arable land 

 time enough to put in spring grain, where there are natural pasture 

 meadows that spring early, and will not bear treading out. The occu- 

 pation terminates either at Christmas or Candlemas, when the rest of 

 the holding of the farm is fi'om Lady-day. There is no compensation 

 for purchased manure, or cakes used in the fatting of cattle ; or for 

 draining, and any other improvements. In a recent assize case, of 

 Beadon v. TrhnMt, which was referred to arbitration, there were eleven 

 different customs spoken to, in different parts of the county. Each 

 part of the county has its peculiar custom ; and, as the tenants come in 

 they expect to go out. In some cases they take the offgoing crop ; but 

 a clause is generally inserted in the leases that seed and labour, and a 

 half-year's rent, shall be charged to the new tenant in lieu of it. The 

 outgoing tenant is often allowed to consume the straw on the premises, 

 or he leaves it to be consumed at a feed price, by the incoming tenant, 



