Farming of Oxfordshire. 
257 
cultivation is expensive and unprofitable, and there is only the 
bare chance of making a scanty and thankless living. 
The largest estate in the county contains about 20,000 acres. 
Another property extends to 14,000 or 15,000. A few estates 
vary from 4000 to 6000, while the rest of the land is in the 
hands of small proprietors. 
The noble owner of Blenheim has turned the sword of his 
illustrious ancestor into a most extensive ploughshare, his Grace 
being at this time one of the most extensive farmers in the 
kingdom, occupying nearly 7000 acres of his own land. The 
noble Duke farms in first rate style, using the best animals and 
most approved implements, and employing very active and 
clever bailiffs. Tlie improvements are carried on vigorously 
and well, and no amount of tiouble or expense is spared to bring 
the land into a good state of cultivation. New buildings are 
erected, wet soils drained, hedge-rows grubljed, and useless 
timber felled. Tiie same impi'ovements should of course be 
extended over the whole property. 
It is computed that nearly one-sixth of the income of the land 
of this county, i. e. rent and tithes, belongs to the Oxford col- 
leges and other religious bodies. Speaking generally, the pro- 
perty of the university is badly managed. Ttie master and 
fellows of a college have no permanent interest in the estates, 
and it is not often that the bursar is a man of business habits, or 
conversant with the management of land. The greater part of 
the college property is let on leases of 21 years, renewable every 
seven years. If a lease is to be granted, a capitalist overlooks 
the estate, and pays down to the college twelve or fourteen 
years' purchase on the net income. The college receives an 
annual rent of 5 or 10 per cent., which payment varies with the 
price of corn. Once in every seven years the lessee pays a fine 
which is something less than one year's income. The college 
has the power of increasing the fine, and may renew the lease or 
not at option. When the lease is not renewed after the first 
seven years, it of course expires at the end of the next fourteen, 
and the estate is given up to the lessors. When the lessee is the 
actual occupier of the land, and a man of sufficient capital, then 
these leases are often beneficial, the lands well tilled, and the 
holding kept in good order. But should the estate be leased to 
a middleman, who underlets the farm, and who took the lease 
simply with a view of making a good per-cenfage of his money, 
then the estate presents a most wretched and dilapidated appear- 
ance. The lessee is supposed to keep the buildings in repair, 
and is only allowed by the college such timber as grows on the 
estate. He cares nothing about the condition of the premises 
or the land. If he added to the buildings, or drained and im- 
