488 
Farmiug of Devonshire. 
security to induce their expenditure. The land is improved in its 
character — its value increases proportionately — it will yield an 
increased rent^and all proceeds favourably. But what is the cause 
that such is not more generally the case? Undoubtedly because 
the management of estates is too often placed in the hands of 
persons deficient in the qualifications for their office, and ignorant 
of the best system of cultivation. A survey of the county will 
corroborate this assertion ; for where the management of property 
has devolved upon men accustomed to a good mode of farming, 
the tenants are found in a more prosperous condition. Being 
competent to judge fairly between landlord and tenant, they pro- 
tect the interests of the former, at the same time induce him to 
grant what justice demands for the occupier of his land, and there 
are very few (landlords) in this county who would wish to with- 
hold it. In those cases where gentlemen reside on their own 
property, and take an active interest in the vvelfare of their tenants, 
these evils are beneficially checked. 
Farm Buildings. 
The farm buildings are in the majority of cases very irregulai ly 
and badly constructed, and a good homestead is rarely met with 
in any part of Devonshire. They are generally built with cob-earth 
(a material which will be noticed in a later part of this Essay), 
and allowed to become dilapidated and much out of repair. 
Thatch is usually employed as a roof, but in new erections slate 
is preferred, being considered the most economical as well as the 
neatest and safest covering. The homesteads appear to have 
been built without any regard to uniformity or convenience ; and 
it is probable that when additional buildings were necessary they 
were raised on the nearest spot that happened to be free. The 
stables and sheds for live stock are low and imperfectly ventilated, 
giving rise to various diseases. The yards are generally on the 
sides of hills, and the soluble part of the manure is thus readily 
washed away by the rains, although in most instances a small 
outlay would remedy the defect. 
The providing of sufficient farm-buildings is one of the first 
duties of a landlord : it is not his interest to allow the tenant's 
capital (often too small for his occupation) to be expended in 
their erection, seeing that it might be more jjrojitahly employed 
in the better cultivation of the land. The landlord should build, 
the tenant pay interest on the money expended, and be required 
to keep them in repair. Thus all the ordinary " wear and tear " 
would fall on the tenant, but the first outlay on the landlord. 
The additional amount of rent thus thrown upon a farm would 
be gladly paid by the occupant, who would be a decided gainer 
from all his operations being concentrated and more economically 
performed. This has been done in a few instances in difl'erent 
