714 THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
[Ocr. 24, 
it include those years in which it has attracted most 
attention. Commence with it as far backasthe days of 
the Commonwealth if you will,* but do not stop 
short of the time when it would constrain you to 
pronounce a panegyric upon the labours of living 
men. 
THE BEST MODE OF LETTING FARMS. 
WITH A VIEW TO THE PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT OF THE 
LAND, DUE REGARD BEING HAD TO THE JUST RIGHTS 
OF BOTH LANDLORD AND TENANT, 
[Tux following is a report of a discussion on this sub- 
ject.at the Richmondshire Farmers’ Club.] 
Mr. Wharton, of Skelton Castle, introduced the sub- 
ject in a very clear and straightforward manner, and 
was listened to with the greatest attention. In the 
course of his address he said that his chief reason for 
Suggesting this subject for discussion was the interest it 
d created among agriculturists generally, as shown 
by the attention given to it by other farmers’ clubs, 
especially the parent one in London. 
The present system of letting farms from year to 
year, as practised in this neighbourhood, is bad, radi- 
cally bad. It is mosi objectionable for many reasons, 
but particularly on the ground of its preventing the 
tenant from expending money on improvements, as he 
has no security that he will reap the advantages they 
are intended to procure, and consequently has no 
interest in them, The moment they are made they are 
the property of the landlord, and the tenant might be 
deprived of his farm at the very next term. Under 
these ci it were to expect ex- 
traordinary improvements from the tenants; and the 
landlords, as a body, were not in a condition to do 
much, for this reason: no class had so little ready 
money at command as landlords; he did not make this 
assertion lightly, but from his former connexion with a 
publie office i& was known to him that there was 
scarcely an instance of a large landed proprietor who 
did not die insolvent in his personal estate. [! I] 
Hence, the necessity for giving security and encou- 
ragement to tenants of capital to invest their money. 
It is capable of proof also that tenant farmers can de- 
vise means to make improvements more economically 
than landlords ; the latter have to procure everything 
necessary at the greatest cost,and often perform the 
work at unsuitable seasons, while the former go quietly 
about the business, and by the exercise of skill and care, 
and by doing the team work at vacant times, contrive 
materially to reduce the expense, 
Landlords, when they lay out money for tenants, ex- 
pect a per centage on the outlay, and gentlemen will 
admit that the tenant farmer should be remunerated for 
money expended by him in improvements. There are, 
however, improvable qualities in the land which are as 
much the landlord's as the tenant's. 
To remedy the evils arising out of the present system 
of'letting farms, two modes have been suggested, and 
successfully practised in different countries. First, the 
plan of letting farms for a long term, as adopted in 
Scotland ; and, secondly, the system followed in Lin- 
colnshire of repaying the tenant on his leaving the farm 
for the unexhausted improvements he has made upon it. 
The objections to leases are many. It is more diffi- 
cult to get a suitable tenant for a farm let on lease than 
it is when the farm is let under the Lincolnshire system ; 
cause, the former requires a man of superior judg- 
ment and large capital, as his improvements must be 
made early in his lease in order to ensure a. full return, 
while the latter allows the tenant to proceed with his 
improvements according to his means, without binding 
him to any particular time. 
Under a lease, too, it is difficult to prevent a bad 
tenant from ing the land. If he does so the land- 
lord has no redress ; he may go away after some years, 
or, if he stay the full term, the farm is completely 
run out. 
Again, when a tenant has a lease and is uncertain 
about getting a renewal of it, the temptation to take ad- 
vantage towards its termination are very great. It 
would bewell in leases of 21 years to have à covenant 
for renewal before the expiry of the term, thus holding 
out an inducement to the tenant to farm well, for 
although a higher rent might in some cases be exacted 
in consequence, the farm from its superior condition 
would in all probability be anything but a dear one. 
Another great objection to a lease is that it may be 
agreed upon when corn is at a certain rate, and the 
rent calculated accordingly—a change may take place, 
corn may settle in price, and the tenant is liable to 
stiffer loss during the remainder of his term. These 
objections seem to be avoided under the system of 
yearly tenancies with covenants for repayment. for 
extraordinary improvements *unexhausted:on the farm 
such as draining, stubbing old fences and artificial 
See Mr. Parkes’ lecture at Newcastle, published in the 
English Agricultural Society’s Journal, 
landlord or incoming tenant. These claims are gene- 
rally taken up by the incoming tenant. 
Other allowances are agreed upon in like manner ; 
thus for lime four years is allowed, for marl six or seven 
years, for buildings when made entirely by tenant 20 or 
21 years, for bones and artificial manures the custom 
varies, but for the former two or three years. 
It is admitted that when stock have been fed on oil- 
cake the manure they make is of superior quality, and 
the advantage to the land from its use remains for some 
years—hence an allowance is made of j of the cost of 
the cake for the first year and 2 for the second year. 
Mr. W.is inclined to lean to the Lincolnshire system ; 
it is more easily engrafted on the plan now pursued in 
this district, and with a poor tenant, the landlord is in 
no worse situation under it than he would be if the 
present custom was continued. 
In some places there is a clause introduced into the 
agreement to protect the landlord from dilapidations, 
which seems equitable, and in some eases may be abso- 
lutely necessary. It might happen that while a tenant 
made a great claim for compensation on some of the 
grounds already mentioned, he was himself liable for 
iderable sums for dilapidati 
He had been most anxious to hear this subject dis- 
cussed rather than to have introduced it, but being 
urged to do so had consented, and now hoped to hear 
some valuable remarks from men of greater experience 
before he left the room. 
A very interesting discussion followed Mr. Wharton’s 
address, in which Mr. Jaques, Mr. Hartley, Mr. Outh- 
waite, Rev, W. Wharton, and the Secretary took part. 
The evi ising from the present system of letting 
from year to year without compensating covenants were 
unanimously admitted, The advantages resulting from 
the plan pursued in Lincolnshire were supp d by 
parties who had seen their good effects to both landlord 
and tenant. The system of letting on lease, as followed 
in Seotland, was fully gone into by several of the 
members who had visited that country, and by one of 
them who. had resided there for several years, the 
advantages of the system shown by a well cultivated 
country and a thriving tenantry, the application of 
corn rents to arable farms, recommended, and various 
other matters affecting the question, At the termi- 
nation of the discussion the following decision was 
unanimously resolved upon :— 
* That permanent improvement to the land ean only 
be attained by security for outlay , and that this security 
is to be proeured either by léase—as proved by the 
result of experience in Scotland .-or by a system of 
repayment for unexhausted improvements, as is the 
ease in Lineolnshire,"—— H. J. Turner, Hon. Sec, 
Richmond, October 14, 1846. 
SCHEMES OF CULTIVATION 
FOR SMALL FARMS. 
No. L—A Farm of about 60 acres, employing one 
pair of horses; of good deep soil, worth 27. per acre ae 
rental, ineluding all parochial and other taxes. 
Rotation Suggested.—1lst year, Wheat; 2d year, 
Clover ; 3d y: Wheat; 4th year, Swedish Turnips ; 
5th year, Wheat; 6th year, Beans and. Carrots, in 
what is-called ‘double culture ;’ 7th year, Wheat ; 
8th year, Mangold Wurzel; 9th year, Wheat, winter 
Vetehes, and Rye; and 10th year, Cabbages, trans- 
planted on half the Veteh-stubble, and Turnips on tho 
other half. 
Each field to be six acres in extent, and we will sup- 
pose there are two aeres over, which may be‘in Lucerne 
or Sainfoin, according as the:soil is sandy or'calenreous, 
loamy, or brashy. 
HE Propuce of such:a.farm will.be:as follows :— 
30 acres of Wheat at 36 bushels = 1080 bushels of Wheat. 
6 acres, halfof Beans=3acres at40 bush 120 bush. of Beans. 
6 acres of Clover (half-mown), 5 tons of Hay and the keep of 
40 sheepfor 6 months in summer, 
6 acres Mangold Wurzel = 150 tons of Mangold Wurzel, 
6 acres Swedish Turnips 20 tons of Swedes, 
6 acres half of (^rrots = 60 tons of Carrots. 
acres Vetches - che keep of 200 sheep for two months in 
spring and summer, : 
6 acres of Cabbages and Turnips ='120 tons of Turnips. 
To recapitulate as regards Foop ron Srock, there 
will be :— 
In Vereues, the keep of 200 sheep during May and June. 
In Cover, the keep of 40 sheep from May till October, be- 
sides affording green food for the horses, 
InHay .. m E ae m .. . 5 tons. 
In MANGOLD WURZEL oe E ve 1507, 
In SWEDES I. m E ^. oe oo 120 ,, 
CARS cep ope! ce eesti teas n agp, 
In TURNIPS and CABBAGES .. n v Canes oles 
The Srock which may be kept on this farm is : 
1, Two horses, equal to the consumption of H a bushel of 
Oats per diem ++ ae vs 180 bush. of Oats. 
15 Ibs. of hay per diem äi oo 2 tons of hay. 
1 cwt, of Carrots per diem in winter .. 6 tons Carrots. 
And a portion of Clover or Lucerne in summer. 
2. Sheep, $c.— One sheep will eat, say 281lbs. of 
green food, or 201bs.of green food and 21bs of hay, 
or 22 Ibs. of green food and llb. of oil-eake, Peas, cr 
othergrain. There are, taking out the’Carrots needed 
for the horses, about 440 tons of roots and 3 tons of 
hay to be consumed between October and May. During 
that period a sheep will eat 3 tons of roots,  "l'his.quan- 
tity of food will therefore require for its consumption 
about 150 sheep. Now, a milch cow will eat as much 
as 10 sheep, The Clover, &c, supposed capable. of 
maintaining 40 sheep during summer, will therefore 
maintain four cows, and to keep these during winter 
will reduce the number of sheep to 110. A three-year 
old.ox will probably consume ‘as much as eight sheep ; 
| if five oxen be kept during winter, and on: till a portion 
of the Vetches te consumed in May and June, this wil 
reduce the stock of sheep required to 60. But, oP 
posing that oil-cake and other grain be given as food to 
the stock in the proportion of 21bs.to every cwt. of 
green food, that will involve a consumption of about 
15 tons per annum, equal, in maintaining ability, to 
90 tons of roots, orto the addition of one-fifth to the 
stock which may be kept. Ifany one will go through 
the calculation, he will find that the saving on cows, 
cattle, and sheep food, thus effected, will permit the 
keeping of 30 more sheep. "These calculations proeced 
on the assumption that the sheep and cattle are kept 
under shelter; to be sure, a sheep so circumstaneed 
will not consume 28 Ibs. of Turnips daily, but there is 
so great a waste in cleaning them, &c., that this is a safe 
datum to found a calculation upon. 
The farm will therefore maintain two horses and 
four cows all the year round; and five oxen and 90 
sheep from October to June. 
Let us now consider the Annuar Cost or LABOUR. 
on this farm. : 
30 acres of Wheat, drilled at 25. . 
hoed, at 5s. . 
harvested, at 10s. soe 15 
thrashed 135 qrs., at5s 33 15 0 
[2 
3 acres of Beans, drilled, at 2s. 
hoed, at 6s. 
harvested, 
thrashed, 120 b: v 
3 acres of Carrots, drilled, at 2s., 
hoed, at 15s. . 
harvested, at ll. . 
6 acres of Swedes, drilled, at 2s.. 
hoed, at 10s. . 
harvested, at 10s.. 
6 acres of Mangold Wurzel, dibbled, at 3s. 018 0 
hoed 3 times, at 10s... 3 0 0 
harvested, at 10s, .... 3 € 0 
6'aeres of Cabbages and T 
l 
Cultivation o: 
Managemen 
t 
man all the year, at 12s, 
One boyin winter with him, 
weeks . 
One ploughman, át 12s... eee esee e eren dee e veees SLOL TO 
Say one strong lad all the year round at odd jobs, at 
Se Dex. WEEN vised deese s 3esdéslen se éeedsoevo revere DAOG 
£180 18.0; 
Cost of Food. for Stock. 
180 bushels of Oats, at 3s, . .... .. 
15 tons of cake or its equivalent. 
Rent fOr one year, at 21,9 e eeeé e eee eeeo eso BIG 20 
6 acres of 
co 
2 
8 
g 
$ 
& 
$ 
S 
a 
3 
EJ 
= 
a 
elooooococ 
E30 0 
The following, then, is the Annuat Expense. on this 
far 
Labour 
Food 
£511 18 0 
The CarrraL required for this Farm will be as 
follows::—Supposing it to be taken from a tenant who 
has pursued this system of cultivation, his manure and 
the cultivation in the land will have to be paid for. 
This will eost-as-follows :— 
Half the cost of cultivating fallow’crops of 
the previous year, including manure, 24 
acres, at say 3l.. £72 0 0 
Cost of Clover seed eens? .0F-0) 
Manure, say 1000 cubic yards, at 3s. 6d. .. 175 0 0 
= £253 0 © 
Implements. 
One plough, 5j. ; two'pair of harrows, 51. : two horse 
hoes, 40. ; one roller, 101. ; two carts, 202, ; one cul- 
tivator, 100, ; one Turnip cutter, 5}. ; one steaming 
ils, &c., 3l. ; stable and other 
"UT Sca c E 
clo. 
apparatus, 5l. ; pails, 
implements, 2l. ; hurdles, go 
2 horses, at 307. 
4 cows, at 157, 
5 oxen, at 127. . 
90 sheep, at 80s, 
One year's labour, food, seed, and rent .... 
£1149 18 © 
This is equal to £18 : 10s, per acre. 
Labour, food, seed, and rent. 
Five per cent. on capital ..... oe 
Tue ANNUAL Cost or CurrivATION on this farm will be 
.. £511 18 0 
7 2 
£569 0 0 
The following is.an estimate of the ANNUAL RETURNS 
or CULTIVATION :— 
Wheat, 135 qrs., at 59s, ... 00 
Beans, 15 qrs., at 36s, ... . oo 
4 cows will each pay 8l. perannum . 08200 
5 oxen will pay 6s. a week for their keep from 
Oct. 1 to June 20; 38 weeks,at30s....... 57 0 0 
90-sheep will pay 8d. a week for their keep 
from Oct.1toJune20; 38weeks, at 3... 114 0 0 
£581 0 0 
