1 8 MAKING A FISHERY. 



hands a more effective control of his property 

 than he would when granting a lease for a term 

 of years. Landed proprietors generally, and 

 especially those of the olden school, attach 

 great importance to this ; and no doubt, from 

 their point of view, there are many valid argu- 

 ments to be adduced in its favour. 

 Disadvan- The proprietor must, however, consider the 



tages of short 



lease. disadvantages of this form of letting. A tenant 



holding water for a single year cannot afford to 

 go to any expense in stocking, netting, and 

 otherwise keeping down coarse fish, nor in pro- 

 tecting the trout from poachers ; in fact, he is 

 likely to be tempted to get all the sport he can 

 in any one season, as he cannot be sure of re- 

 taining it beyond the term of his agreement. 

 Then, again, although the tenant can be got rid 

 of or his rent raised at the end of any year, yet 

 when he goes it may not be so easy to find a 

 new tenant, especially if the water has been 

 skinned and the stock of fish killed down too 

 much. As far as the fisherman is concerned, if 

 it suits his purpose to fish a water for a season 

 and then either negotiate for a renewal of the 

 same or find something suitable on another 

 property, he may take on a yearly agreement. 

 If, however, he intends to effect permanent 

 improvements he should try and obtain a good 

 lease, say twenty-one years, with option on his 



