chap. XVI. THE COUNTY OF FIFfi. 34^ 



at the expence of enclosing, or at least of put- 

 ting up the fences, and the tenant obliged to 

 lay down the materials ; even in these favoura- 

 ble circumstances, not more than 10 acres can 

 be improved annually. The farm must depend 

 chiefly upon itself for dung; three-fourths of 

 the farms in this county not having the oppor* 

 tunity of purchasing this kind of manure, or at 

 least under the necessity of bringing it from a 

 great distance, and buying it at a very dear rate. 

 The operations before mentioned, will require 

 great strength of men and cattle, and consequent- 

 ly a great outlay of money. Before the farmer 

 can see a blade of corn above the ground, his 

 expences per acre, including rent and seed, will 

 not be less than from 81. to ! o 1. 



It may be alleged, that as the improvement of 

 the farm goes forward, the tenant will have it 

 in his power to cultivate a larger portion of his 

 farm every year progressively, in consequence 

 of the increased supply of manure which it will 

 be able progressively to produce. This, howe- 

 ver, is scarcely to be supposed. In a few years, 

 the improved fields will need a repetition of ma- 

 nure, besides the continued labour and atten- 

 tion which they will necessarily require. And 

 it is well known to every experienced farmer, 

 that even a well cultivated farm can spare but a 

 small proportion of the manure it produces, to 

 be otherwise applied. Of this, proprietors them- 

 selves are abundantly sensible. Hence, the sol- 

 licitude they discover to prevent the tenant from 

 putting any of his straw or fodder from off his 

 farm, lest the land should be thereby injured. 

 Indeed, every prudent husbandman will be cau- 

 X x 



