150 The Agricultural Holdings {England) Act, 1875. 
category of temporary improvements, and are placed under the 
two following general heads : — - 
1. Application to land of purchased artificial or other purchased manure. 
2. Consumption on the holding by cattle, sheep or pigs, of cake or other 
feeding-stuff not produced on the holding (§ 5). 
These improvements may continue unexhausted, and there- 
fore remain the subjects of compensation, till the end of two 
years following after the year of tenancy in which the outlay is 
made (§ 6). The amount of compensation in respect of them 
will be " such proportion of the sum properly laid out by the 
tenant on the improvement as fairly represents " its value to the 
incoming tenant at the end of the tenancy (§ 9). Upon the 
proper laying-out of the money upon manure and feeding-stuff 
will depend the benefit to the new tenant, and therefore these 
two questions practically resolve themselves into one for the 
consideration of the valuer.* 
Hitherto we have found the Act requiring as a condition 
precedent to compensation for first-class improvements consent 
by the landlord, and in the case of second-class improvements 
notice to the landlord. The tenant is relieved from both these 
conditions in the third description of improvements, and it 
would be obviously impossible to require either condition from 
him as a preliminary to the manuring of his land or the 
feeding of his stock. This would be to make the landlord the 
farmer. Still there are important reservations to his power of 
claiming compensation. No such claim, for example, can be 
made if, after the manure has been applied or the stock has been 
fed on the particular land so treated, he has taken from this 
portion of his holding " a crop of corn, potatoes, hay, or seed, or 
any other exhausting crop" (§ 13). Again, he is not entitled 
to compensation for the consumption of cake or other feeding- 
stuff where, under custom or agreement, he claims payment from 
the landlord or incoming tenant for " the additional value given 
by that consumption to the manure left on the holding at the 
• The first question which tlie valuers will have to face is the proportion of the 
original cost which may " fairly represent the value of the improvement, at the 
determination of the tenancy, to nn incoming tenant." An approximation to this 
value for cake, bones, &c., has long been made by clauses in agreements, and by 
custom in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and other counties. Mr. Lawcs, in 
his valuable contributions to tliis 'Journal ' has given a reliable testimony to the 
unexhausted value of manures applied under certain conditions ; and it would, 
undoubtedly, be a matter of congratulation to valuers and to the agricultural 
public if iuvestigiitions of a similar character could be carried out under other 
and varying conditions of climate and of soil. But even now, with the limited 
information wo possess, I am inclined to think that practical men, taking into 
consideration the customs of their own counties, and guided by the direction of the 
Act, will not find any insuperable dillicuKy in the construction of this clause ; and 
I bolievo that in many cases, if difliculty shouhl be anticipated, agreements will 
be made between landlord and tenant whicli willdcline in terms the proportionate 
payments to be made.— JVo<c by Mr. J. D. Don I. 
