94 'AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF chap. nr. 



SECT. III. RENT. 



THE rent of land in Fife is very different, be- 

 ing higher or lower according to the quality of 

 the soil, the convenience of situation, or the state 

 of improvement. Some land, from its situation 

 in the neighbourhood of towns, and even some, 

 from its own intrinsic richness, is rented as high 

 as 4, 5, and 6 pounds per acre. Farms of con- 

 siderable extent are let at 3 1. ; a great many at 

 2 1. per acre. In short, we find land rented in 

 all the various gradations downward to 5 s. ; and 

 even some moorish, hilly pasture ground below 

 that rate. Grass parks generally bring a high 

 rent. Those at Lundin, Balcarras, and in some 

 other places, have been let as high as 3 1. per 

 acre. 



But, though the rents generally vary accor- 

 ding to the difference of soil, and other circum- 

 stances, from the best observations I have been 

 able to make, they appear to be in no just pro- 

 portion to the comparative value of the land. 

 Farms of inferior quality are, f$r the most part, 

 higher in proportion than those of rich produc- 

 tive land. This inequality may arise from two 

 causes : On the one hand, the proprietors of the 

 poorer lands finding other gentlemen getting 

 high rents for theirs, and not adverting to the 

 difference of quality, or regarding their own 

 property with a partial eye, struggle hard to be 

 on a footing with their neighbours ; and though 

 they may not- succeed entirely to their wish, are 

 generally fortunate enough to get an advance of 

 rent above the due proportion. On the other 



