m Farm Capital. 4^33 = 107 
Hned to special districts of English agriculture, that no reference 
Whs been made to it in the estimates formed above ; but it maj be 
iteresting to remark that the cost of irrigation, where applied 
1 the large streams of the valleys of the south of England, when 
)t associated with mills, may be taken at an average of 30/. per 
re. The natural value of the land before irrigation being 
ken at from 601. to 80/. per acre, this operation alone would 
•present a landlord's improvement of more than 30 per cent., 
hilst with the streams of less volume the landlord's expenditure 
1 hatch work, levelling, and other arrangements for fitting the land 
ith irrigation works, would be not more than 10/. to 15/. per acre. 
Certain recognised modes of more or less permanently im- 
roving land by the application of chalk, marl, clay, or lime, and 
1 some cases of bones to pasture land, representing an expendi- 
ire of from 3/. up to 10/. per acre, are occasionally undertaken 
s- the tenant, and are recouped to him by a scale of tenant-right, 
which examples now in force are given in the annexed 
chedule A (p. 177). Where, however, the expenditure ap- 
roaches 8/. to 10/. per acre, the usual course is for the landlord,, 
ther with his own means, or through the agency of the various 
jcieties for the improvement of land referred to hereafter, to 
feet these operations, charging the tenant a percentage on the 
itlay, to be agreed upon. 
Drainage. — Thorough drainage is so material and important Drainage. 
1 improvement, that it is desirable to say a few words specially 
1 it. It was formerly, and is still occasionally, undertaken 
)• the tenant. The average cost of drainage has been con- 
(derably increased of late years through the greater value of 
lanual labour, and in some degree through a slightly enhanced 
)st of manufacture of the pipes. Up to 1871 and 1872, the 
/erage drainage of an estate requiring this operation might be 
ilculated to be effectively carried out at about 6/. to 6/. 10s. 
er acre. Since that time the cost has been increased by at 
ast 15 per cent., and there is certainly a hesitation at the 
resent time on the part of tenant-farmers to agree to pay the 
ill interest of 7s. or 8s. per acre on the cost of the work. This 
inclusion is clearly indicated by the decreased expenditure 
1 drainage in the year 1875-6, as disclosed by the Inclosure 
ommissioners' Returns. In the year 1873 the expendi- 
ire on drainage was 96,297/. 16s. lid. ; in the year 1874, 
■^,185/. lis. llrf; in the year 1875, 79,448/. lis. 8f/. ; in the 
sar 1876, 61,492/. 13s. Of/. In Lincolnshire and some other 
istricts in England a tenant-right for drainage-expenditure, ex- 
uding from 10 to 13 years, still exists, whilst occasionally the 
peration is carried out on the footing that the landlord pro- 
des the drainage-tiles, and the tenant performs the labour. 
2 H 2 
I 
