The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-01-19 00:00:00

agriculture.

Is LAND LIABLE TO BE RATED AT RITHANORD VAIDI
ARISING PROM SPORTING PRIVILEGES !—A Opee involv-
ing this important question came before the court of
quarter sessions, at Sheffield, on Friday week, on an ap-
peal by Edward Taylor, against • poor rats made by the
overseers of Tharlstone. Taylor, since 1842, has been
the tenant of 338 acres, being part of an extensive tract
of moorland lying between Manchester and Sheffield.
The land is surrounded by other well-preserved moors,
and abounds with grouse. Taylor's tenantry is restricted
to the occupancy of the land as a sheep walk; the right
of sporting being reserved by the Earl of Scarborough,
the landlord, and by him let to Mr. Stanhope, of Cannon
Hall, near Barnsley. 17p to 1852, the land was rated
only at Ell 3a. Td. as a sheep walk upon an estimated
rental of from 6d. to Is. 6d. per acre, but • new rate
was then made in which it was assessed at Is. per acre
additional, on the ground that it would readilz let for
that extra rental for the right of shooting over it, The
additional amount wag not charged against the occupier
of the sheep walk, but against Mr. Stanhope, and he
resisted payment. In 1855 on appeal, the rate as
against loin was quashed. i'he overseers then rated
Traylor at £29 8.. 2d. the full value at which the land
would let both for pasturage and shooting; and against
this he now appealed. Evidenoe was given by Mr. J.
Frith, of Cumberworth ; Mr. George Crowther, of
Fixby ; and Mr. J. Tinker, of Tharbrtone, land Valuers,
that this moorland would let for shooting for In an acre
at the lowest estimate, in addition to the rent paid by
Taylor, for pasturage. Other similar lots of incrland
in the immediate neighbourhood were named, which let
at • higher rental. Mr. Blitnaliard and Mr ohnstone,
in support of the rate, urged that, according to the
Parochial Assessment Act, the 000lpier was the only
person who could be rated, and he wee liable to be rated,
not at any sum agreed upon between him and his land-
lord, but at the fair and reasonable rent which • tenant
would pay for the land, with the privilege. pertaining to
it, and that the parish were no more to be prejudiced by
the secret arrangements between the Earl of Scarborough
and Mr. Stanhope as to the sporting (which was one of
the privileges appertaining to the occupation of the lend),
than they would be, if the owner of a mansion, worth
£lOO • year, choose to let it to • relative, or friend, at
£5, or a nominal rent—Mr. Mauls and Mx. Wortley,
for the appellant, contended, first, that the rent aptully
paid by the tenant of the land was the true criterion of
its value, that the occupier was to be rated only for
that which he enjoyed; and that, as Taylor enjoyed
only the right of depasturing his sheep., and was expressly
excluded from the privilege of shooting over the land,
he had no right to be rated in respect of the enhanced
value of the land for shooting. pu.rposes.—After the
magistrates had discussed the matter together for a con-
siderable time,, the Chairman (Mr. Wilson Overend) an-
nounced the decision of the court to be that the rate
should be quashed; they being of opinion that Taylor
was not liable to be rated for the increased value of the
land for sporting purposes—A cue was granted, with
leave to the overseers to move the Court of Queen's
Bench to have the rate oonfirmed.—The ease appeared to
have excited considerable interest, and amongst the
magistrates were several who have not usually attended
at the sessions. It was °burred that during the dis-
cussion they were divided in opinion, the Chairman
evidently taking the view that the overseers were bound
to rate the land at the reasonable rental at which it
would let, and not at that rental which • landlord might
take from a tenant not enjoying the fall priiileges
tached to the occupancy. The majority, however, took
the opposite view, and the rate was quashed.

-
Ti COMPARATIVE 'PALO/ ON MANGSL AND SIVIDIS.
—Farmers who have never grown Mengel say, "I would
rather have Swedes then Mengel." We will earerne for
the moment the feeding value of the latter to be leas
than that of the former, which it seems is a matter of
controversy, for at a court dinner at which I was present
some weeks ago, and at which I was recommending some
farmers to grow Mengel, the country butcher who was
present observed, he would give • half-penny a pound
more for mutton fed on Swedes than for mutton fed on
Mengel. Only three days later at an agricultnral meet-
ing of a very superior class, I observed a discussion about
the increased growth of Mengel, at which • very large
cattle dealer was reported to have said he would give
considerably more for bullocks fed on Mange! than for
those which had been fed on Swedes. But, assuming the
superior feeding value of Swedes during their season of
perfection, it so happens that it is just at the period at
which the quality, though not the exterior appearance
of the Swede, most rapidly deteriorates, that the
Mengel errives at perfection, and becomes .infinitely
more valuable for feeding purposes. We should there-
fore grow both. There is another material consideration
of which agriculturists are becoming more sensible every
year, viz., that we are following up the same crepe too
closely on the same land. There is a growing conviction
that this is particularly the case with Swedes. By set-
ting half the acreage to Swedes, and the other half to
Mengel, and shifting these every four years we get each
at intervals of eight years on the same land instead of
four.

WINDMILLS.—Among all the great inprovementa
that that are now taking place 111 agriculture with
respect to steam-ploughing, draining, artificial manuring,
/cc., it is rather surprising that none ever allude to the
power of windmills, which, I believe, might be usefully
and advantageously introduced in most of the farmeries
situated upon high lands, provided that a cheap and
simple mode of construction could be adopted. Snob
mills, I believe, are now at work in some parts of this
country, and particularly in the county of Norfolk. If
some who have practical experience would furnish a plan
and estimate of cheap and easy construction, they would
confer • palpable benefit upon the farming interest in
general. I have been induced to trouble you with these
observations in consequence of reading the following
passage in London's Encyclopiedis of Cottage Farm, and
Villa Architecture and Furniture, page 588 :—" In some
parts of England windmills are now brought to such
perfection as to be little inferior, in point of uniform
motion, to either steam or water-power. For grinding
corn, threshing, draining land, or, in short, any opera-
tion, to perform which few hands are required, wind-
mills are more economical than mills worked by either
atom or water." W. M.