LEASES AND YEARLY TENANCY. 85 



cepts one-fourth of the arable land, which remains in the possession of 

 the outgoing tenant until the crop is reaped from it. It must be remem- 

 bered that the farm for which such an agreement is given is worked under 

 the four-course rotation, and the one-fourth of the arable land which the 

 outgoing tenant holds for the time is that part of it " as in the regular 

 course of cultivation shall have been regularly fallowed in the summer 

 next before such corn or grain being sown, or shall have been in turnips 

 eaten on by sheep." 



This form of entry is favourable for a farmer in many respects : 

 it enables him to prepare winter food for his stock, and also to prepare 

 his land for autumn wheats. Were a tenant to enter at the end of harvest 

 say at Michaelmas or Martinmas he would have to purchase every- 

 thing required for feeding all his stock, and this is a serious consideration. 



The clause as to miscropping is also proper, especially as applied to 

 the old permanent pastures of England. Few such pastures are to be 

 met with in Scotland, and then only in proprietors' parks. If some of 

 the old pastures were once ploughed up, it would take many years to 

 bring them back to their former state again. Indeed, very few farmers 

 would wish to plough up their old pastures, as on an average they pay 

 better than the arable lands. The only exception to this might be where 

 the pasture was very poor, and the grasses growing on it of inferior 

 quality; and in a case of this kind it might be advisable to have it 

 ploughed up, and after being thoroughly cleaned and manured, laid down 

 again under good permanent grasses. 



The clause for the execution of improvements is, I think, a good one, 

 and the interest charged is not heavy ; in fact, very few proprietors are 

 to be found who will perform improvements on their farms for less than 

 6 per cent per annum. 



As stated in regard to the other form of lease given, it is just and proper 

 that the tenant should keep all ditches, drains, watercourses, hedges, fences, 

 gates, buildings, &c., on his farm in good repair ; only it is proper that he 

 should receive them in like condition. In some agreements it is added 

 to the clause on repairs, that the tenant is bound to keep all in good repair, 

 but damage done by "fire and tempest excepted." This is proper, as, where 

 the buildings are insured, in the case of their being destroyed by fire, the 

 money received from the insurance company should go towards rebuilding 

 them, and at all events the landlord should make them good. 



The clause on the repairs of hedges states, "Nor buckhead any of the 

 hedges except for the necessary repairs of the .fences, and then plash or 

 lay the hedges or fences from which any thorns or other wood shall be 

 cut in proper manner." As a rule, the fences in England are kept in 

 very bad condition ; and when such clauses are inserted in an agreement, 



