him in the first inftance do every thing which can fairly be expected from him towards putting his farm-houses into a decent condition, and rendering the fituation of their inhabitants comfortable. Where expensive undertakings are neceffary for the purpose of draining or improving the ground, let him encourage the hefitating tenant to accomplish it, by bearing fome part of the original charge. Let him introduce, as opportunities permit, from diftant parts of the country, and diftribute to the more active of his tenants, feeds of graffes and other valuable plants unknown in his neighbourhood; and communicate new methods (a) of cultivat

ing

(a) The general mode of employing the land in any particular district, whether it be pafturage or tillage, will be that which from local circumftances is deemed the most profitable; and therefore can feldom be altered, even in cafes where a change is defirable, by the influence of the landlord, unless he calls in the aid of pofitive ftipulations. As far as local circumstances permit, the influence of the landlord will be most usefully exerted in promoting tillage. For tillage is that method of ufing the foil, which makes the largest addition to the stock of human fubfiftence, and gives regular employment to the greatest number of labouring poor; and thus contributes to promote, in a more direct and efficacious manner than any other branch

ing those already known, when the superior utility of the change has been established by experience. In fome cafes, a landlord may effect an effential reform in the management of farms, by inviting from other quarters of the kingdom persons fkilled in improved modes of culture, and placing them as examples to the reft of his tenants. Their novel practices will be decried for a time: but when the advantage of them is permanently discerned, the most inveterate prepoffeffions will give way to the powerful incitements of interest. Where this method of proceeding is ineligible, it frequently happens that fimilar benefits may be enfured by judicious improvements practifed by the proprietor himself on the land which he retains in his own occupation. A common farmer can rarely be expected to deviate much of his own accord from the beaten track. At every step which he takes, he has his own rooted habits and prejudices to overcome: he has to encounter the derifion of all his neighbours and companions; if he fucceeds, he is

of rural œconomy, the two fundamental objects already recommended the increase of population, and the interests of morality.

affured

affured that the fuccefs was owing to chance, and will never happen again: if he fails, he is told that he receives the merited punishment of his folly. Add to these things, that he will generally be too wary to hazard the lofs of money and labour, which muft attend an unfortunate experiment. But the process, which he perceives to anfwer in his landlord's field, he will foon learn to hope may fucceed at least as well in his own (b). It must however be remembered, that the strongest inducement, which a person can have to employ his time and his capital in making beneficial improvements of any kind, is reasonable fecurity that he fhall enjoy the fruits of his labour. Such fecurity is required with peculiar juftice, when the improvements are to be made on the property of another. The most obvious mode of

(b) Local focieties for the encouragement of agriculture deferve the countenance and patronage of private gentlemen. By the premiums which they beftow, and the information which they circulate, they excite exertion, and diffuse useful knowledge, among practical farmers and husbandmen. And their utility is increafed by their frequent practice of giving rewards to those who have lived long in the fame service, or have brought up a numerous family without parochial aid,

affording it to the farmer is by leafes; which, under proper regulations, are on this ground very conducive to the progrefs of agriculture, and fhould be granted by the landlord in all cafes, when it can be done with prudence. When family fettlements, entails, or other circumftances render it impracticable or unadvisable for the proprietor to confign his eftate to the occupier for a definite number of years; his general conduct and character, if he regulates his life by principles of duty, will be a pledge to his tenants that no unfair advantage will be made of their exertions, either by difmiffing them, or raising their rents, the moment they have increafed the value of their farms: a pledge, it is true, fo far unfatisfactory as it guarantees them only during his own life; yet one, that will commonly prove fufficient for them to act upon to a certain degree. They will discover in the proceedings of fuch a landlord a fteady and universal regard to the rules of equity and benevolence. They will find themselves receiving from him every mark of attention and good-will which their behaviour merits. They will fee him continuing the fons and nephews of deferving tenants, whenever it is feasible with

out

out material hazard, in the place of their relations; fhewing lenity in exacting arrears from those who have been depreffed by unavoidable misfortunes, and liberality in relieving fuch as fuftain heavy loffes by fires, tempests, or contagion. They will have learned by experience that, when he has called for an augmentation of rent, it has not been in confequence of one or two harvests of fingular but accidental abundance, nor on fuch terms as would defraud the farmer of an ample return for the fums which he had expended; but that it has been demanded wholly from a well-grounded conviction of a general rife in the value of the productions of the earth; or in confequence of local circumstances fully justifying the increase of payment required; and that it has been adjusted, not by an uniform pound-rate sweeping over a whole district, and thus falling moft lightly on the best lands and heaviest on the worst, but in due proportion to the existing worth of each particular farm, and with a fit regard to the share which the occupier has had in bringing it to its present state. They will have observed, that in raising his rents he has ftudioufly borne in mind, that a small advance,

however