Roijal Commission on Agriculture. 
515 
Defects in the Land Laws ; 
Want of security and of compensation for tenants' improve- 
ments ; 
The operation of the laws of distress and hypothec ; and 
Restrictive covenants ; 
have all been referred to either as causes of agricultural depres- 
sion or as tending to aggravate it. 
Land Laws.* 
We have already called attention to the fact that owners in 
fee, farming their own land, and having sufficient command of 
capital, have suffered not less than life tenants, or occupiers of 
holdings under ordinary covenants. If, therefore, we refer to 
certain proposed changes, we would not be understood to imply 
that any different condition of land tenure or of occupation 
Avould have materially mitigated the severity of the recent 
depression or would prevent its recurrence. 
The " Settled Land Bill," presented by Earl Cairns to the 
House of Lords, and sanctioned by that branch of the Legislature, 
appears to us to be a bold, comprehensive, and most valuable 
measure. The ample powers which it confers upon life tenants 
will, if it becomes law, obviate many of the objections that have 
been urged against the existing system of English Land Laws. 
That measure not only confers upon the tenant for life large 
poAvers of sale, exchange, and partition, as well as of leasing, 
but also provides for the due application of all purchase and 
other capital money. 
Suggestions have been offered to us by many witnesses on 
other matters connected with the Land Laws, which are not 
comprised within the range of the Settled Land Bill. They 
seem to us to lie beyond the scope of the Commission. 
Changes have indeed been suggested with a view to encourage 
the establishment of a peasant proprietary. 
While we deem it highly expedient to facilitate and cheapen 
the transfer of land, we are of opinion that no special facilities 
should be given to stimulate the artificial growth of a system 
which appears to be ill adapted to the habits of the people or to 
the condition of agriculture in this country. 
Cultivation of Land.^ 
Among the suggestions that have been made for the ameliora- 
tion of the prospects of the tenant farmer, the extension of the 
* Mr. Clay dissents from this section of the Eeport. 
2 L 2 
