262 Sketch of the present State of [Aprxi.> 



because they thus preserve for corn what would otherwise^ in 

 their opinions, be occupied with unnecessary fences. Some 

 again, who deal extensively in sheep, prefer small inclosures» 

 The size of inclosures may be stated at from 5 English acres to 

 60, and even to 100 acres, though of so. large a size there are 

 BOt numerous examples. 



Size op Farms.-— Respecting the size of farms two sorts of 

 average may be taken : we may either compute the number of 

 acres attached to what is called an onstead, that is, a farm-house 

 iand offices, or offices only : or we may consider the number of 

 acres farmed by one individual, either of lands contiguous or 

 several miles distant from one another. If we take the average 

 siz€; of farms which have a set of offices attached to them, we 

 might venture to say that the most usual size of such farms is 

 from 200 to 400 acres : if, again, we were to calculate the 

 number of acres cultivated by some individuals in the county, 

 V/e ixuglit, perhaps, compute them at from 1200 to 2000 acres. 



Kent.— The rent of land upon leases let within the last seven 

 years amounts to from 305. to nearly 4l. each acre English. The 

 rent of land, however, it mmi be remembered, does not, and 

 /ought not, to depend entirely upon the quality of the soil. It is 

 influenced also by other circumstances, such as the distance of 

 the market where the produce is sold, and the distance from 

 lime and coals. There can be no doubt, therefore, but land 

 precisely of equal quality is more valuable, by at least 10^. an 

 acre, in the neighbourhood of the sea-port of Berwick, than at 

 ihe distance of 15 or 17 miles. 



Leases. — ^AU farms are let upon leases, and almost univer- 

 sally for h9 or 21 years. Either of these periods enable the 

 tenant to lay out a considerable capital in improvements, with 

 the confidence that he shall be refunded with interest before the 

 expiration of his lease. Judicious landlords impose no restric- - 

 tions upon good tenants respecting the mode of management^ 

 except during the last four or five years of their lease. 



Capital required. — It is estimated that every tenant 

 ought to have a capital of 500/. for every hundred acres he 

 rents, to enable him to purchase stock, seed corn, and imple- 

 ments of husbandry, in order fhat he may commence his im- 

 provements when he enters on his lease ; and to prevent bank- 

 ruptcy, ill case of unfavourable seasons and bad crops. Others 

 think a much greater capital necessary. Were the farmer to lay 

 put no capital, and consequently to make no improvements, in 

 xnany cases the p/ofics of the farm would not be sufficient to pay 

 the rent. 



Fences. — ^Farms are almost universally inclosed, and subdi- 

 vided by tliorn hedges, and ditches five feet broad at top, and 

 ihr.ee feci deep. These are sometimes cleaned out every fourth 



