sect. Fl. THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 115 



subtenants, ought certainly to be so modified as 

 to obviate such hardships, and, in a consisten- 

 cy with the landlord's rights, and the general 

 interest of agriculture, to secure completely the 

 fruits of the parent's stock and industry to his 

 surviving family. 



In some leases, a certain rotation of crops, 

 and a particular plan of management, is laid 

 down, to which the tenant is bound, under a 

 specified penalty, to adhere. The propriety of 

 such a clause must depend on circumstances ; 

 and it x is believed that there are few cases in 

 which it is not liable to objections. Systems of 

 management, devised by mere theorists, unac- 

 quainted with practical husbandry, or at least 

 strangers to the nature of the ground for which 

 they are designed, may be found by the farmer 

 to be very erroneous and defective in practice. 

 In leases of farms, which are yet in a state of 

 nature, or which, as yet, have received little 

 improvement, such a clause is wholly inadmis- 

 sible, as the proper rotation cannot be rightly 

 ascertained till trial and experience shall point it 

 out. The seasons, too, and other accidents, may, 

 in many instances, oblige the farmer to deviate 

 occasionally from the prescribed plan ; and yet 

 he cannot yield to this necessity, without risk- 

 ing the penalty fixed in his lease. Land may 

 bear a particular course of cropping for a while, 

 and yet tire of it at last, in which case a change 

 may be necessary for the benefit of the land as 

 well as of the tenant. In short, this plan seems 

 to me to lay a dangerous embargo upon im- 

 provement. Suppose all the land in the king- 

 dom to be just now let for a period of 19 years;, 



P2 



