tJtc Royal Agricultural Society. 
35 
The wealth of tins country has thus been so rapidly augment; J 
as to create a consuming power which has increased the demand 
for meat more rapidly than either our own or foreign producers 
have been able to supply it. 
3rd. That the breeding and feeding of live-stock have thus 
become; such profitable operations that the growth of corn, as a 
sequence to stock-farming, has also become profitable even at 
present prices. Paradoxical, therefore, and unsound as it would 
have been thought twenty years ago, it is no less true, that 
though Free Trade has discouraged bad farming in the shape of 
simple corn-growing, it has, on the other hand, given a powerful 
stimulus to good farming hg making it possible still to grow corn 
with profit through the intervention of green-crops and live- 
stock. 
Tenure of Land. — The comparative advantages of leases and 
agreements terminable at short notice, have been much discussed 
of late, though little progress has hitherto been made towards a 
settlement of the question, or in making converts from one side 
to the other. The advocates of leases contend that under their 
system there are : 1st, Fewer instances of bad farming, which is 
important to the public ; 2ndly, greater security for capital invested, 
which is important to the tenant; and, 3rdly, higher rent paid for 
the land, which is important to the landlord. On the other hand, 
it is argued, with reference to the first point, that there are 
numerous instances of properties, especially large properties, where 
the land is in quite as high a state of cultivation without leases 
as if held for a long fixed term, and consequently that when a 
property is badly farmed it is not the fault of the tenure, but of 
the agents or managers. There is considerable truth in this 
remark ; but it is not entirely conclusive, as there are undoubtedly 
many poor and ignorant farmers who are allowed to hold on, as 
tenants at will, but tp whom leases would never be granted, and 
who therefore on a general adoption of that system would have to 
make way for men of greater capital and energy. The second 
and third points cannot be denied. If, therefore, the case be 
argued on commercial principles alone, the advocates of leases 
have the best of the argument, and doubtless in the long run this 
view of the matter icill prevail; but there are important social 
questions connected with it, which have hitherto prevented the 
general adoption of leases, and will continue to exercise a power- 
ful retarding influence, jftost landlords who let their land to 
tenants-at-will are aware that they could increase their rents by 
granting long leases ; but before realising this additional income 
tenants must be changed, farms consolidated, and farm-buildings 
augmented and improved. 
D 2 
