30 
Agriculture of Nottinghamshire. 
It is almost superfluous to observe that the advantage proposed 
in this shorter course arises from the fallows recurring oftener, 
so that the land is easier kept clean. 
The farms throughout the countv are held in general by 
tenants- at-will ; and we are not aware of any desire amongst the 
occupiers, as a class, to exchange such tenures for leases. 
Our reason for offering this opinion is, that confidence so gene- 
rally exists between landlord and tenant, and especially so be- 
tween the larffe landowners and their tenanlrj-, in whose hands 
the principal part of the land in the county is, as to make the 
tenantry satisfied with the matter as it stands ; for as, on the one 
hand, they may be exposed to a disadvantage through the caprice 
of their landlord ; so, on the other, they cannot but be aware that, 
in these changeful times, when prices are constantly lowering, 
they have an advantage in beins- able to relinquish their farms at 
their own discretion. This advantage would, in our opinion, be 
strengthened by the more general adoption of a practice which now 
prevails in but very few instances — viz , that of the corn-rent. 
The size of the farms is on the average much smaller in the 
clav-district than in the sands, which is a great disadvantage, as 
we conceive, and one calculated to operate against an improved 
cultivation. The most common size is from 70 to 150 acres, con- 
taining in most cases a portion of permanent grass-land, which, it 
may be easily perceived, tends to prevent the occupiers of such 
farms from pasturing much of the arable land with sheep, as 
miffht be done if the farms were larger. Thev are driven of ne- 
cessity, in order to malie their rent and provide subsistence for a 
family, to keep an undue proportion of their land in corn, which 
has the effect of impoverishing their farms, not less tlian themselves. 
Household and many other expenses, moreover, press more 
heavily, in comparison, on small than on large farms. In making 
these remarks we would bv no means be understood to argue in 
favour of farms of such magnitude as are held in some counties : 
at the same time we are convinced by observation that the in- 
stances are few where men, as capitalists, succeed on farms of less 
than 300 acres ; and few farm really well more than 500 acres : 
but where capital is plentiful, farms of about the latter size seem 
most desirable ; and this we know to be the opinion of such occu- 
piers as are of considerable intelligence, in counties where the 
largest farms are frequently held. 
On the subject of drainage, which will in this district demand 
attention, Mr. Lowe, in his Report, is very brief ; neither, per- 
haps, ought we to feel surprise when we consider that half a cen- 
tury has elapsed since he wrote. It is not a subject, we presume, 
on which he would at that time have much opportunity of giving 
information. Of draining by tiles he makes no mention whatever. 
