The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-10-08 00:00:00

agriculturt.

RELATIONS Or L%NDLORU AND TISNANT.— Amongst
much that in irrevelant or foolish in the utterances at
the agricultural ineetinge of the present autumn, • voice
from 13uckinglicestshire gives a heathy and no uncertain
eound. And the tone is alike in accent with true eco-
nomical laws and the hopes and wish," of all Oar beet
practical farmers. We trust it is • good omen, and
that it indicates the opinions which are making way
mincing the inure intelligent owners of land in England.
Sir Harry Verney, one of the lumber* for Buckinglism-
shire town, presided at the recent meeting of the
" North-went Bucks and the adjoining parts of Oxford-
aliiie and Northamptonshire Association," and in pro
posing prosperity to the Association, delivered a speech
in every way worthy of an sulightened tended proprie-
tor aid a practical statesman. This is not the first
Wig very mound views in regard to F.nglish land, and
the relation between English landowners and tenant
fanners, have been enunciated by Sir Harry Verney;
several very motel and judicious speeehee were made by
him on the same topics during the mutest with the
Protectionists which ended in the repeal of the Corn
Laws. Various causes have latterly rendered the land-
lord mind less open to right views on the management
of landed property, and we hope and believe that in
again proclaiming the only safe bash; for agricultural
progreseion, Sir Harry Verney gives utterance to opi-
nions which are likely now to find acceptance with the
clam to which lie belongs. He said he regarded agri-
cultural meetings as valuable, "inasmuch as they
afforded an opportunity for the mutual interchange of
opinions on agricultural subjects between nice who had
spent their lives in practical agriculture, and those
who, without the same active experience, had perhaps
devoted considerable attention to agriculture an a
science, and considered it in its social and political
aspects." It was a trite saying that he who inensaws
the produce of the soil is a general benefactor ; and" it
was invariably found that in districts where produce
most abounded, the wages of the working agriculturist
were highest, and the farmer himself was best off."
These were moral mid social advantages winch were of
direct benefit to the Landlords. For productive hus-
bandry with its accompanying good results, capital is
necessare ; acid" he, for one, hoped when they should
have the capitalists of the country coming forward and
going hand in hand with the agriculturists in making
the land produce as much as possible. On its
doing this the well-being of the whole community
depended He believed that investments
made for agricultural purposes, would be found to be
the safest sod most successfuL' On this question of
agricultural investments an important consideration
arose, lie admitted there existed "couch mutual faith
and coulidence between landlords and their tenants;
but the system which he wished to see prevalent in
this country—that of capitalists putting money into
land to make it productive—required something more.
Of course the capitalist could not be expected to invest
his money in the cultivation of land unless those who
cultivated it were men of intelligence, rectitude, and
prineiple, and that in addition to these moral qualities,
they had • certain tenure in the land." And the cheers
which greeted them opinions proved that his auditors
fully appreciated their soundness. He knew there
were differences of opinion on such points, and he
invited those who thought agriculture would not be
benefitted by whatever induced the capitalist to invest
his capital in the cultivation of the land to state their
rumous. "It was clear that he (the capitalist) would
nut do so unless the agriculturist had a certain per-
manency of tenure. Now, how such a permanency
was to be given, except by hese, he (Sir H. Verney)
could not discover. Therefore, ho abould be happy to
We • system of long leases come into greater preva-
lence then we had yet seen in this country." lie did
not think such a system would lead to tenants being
longer on an emate, for on some properties where no
leases were granted, many tenants had been preceded
by their fathers and grandfathers. They felt as secure,
from the confidence reposed iii the lordlord, as if they
had leases. That, however, would not be such a system
as would induce capitalists to advance their money in
aid of such tenauta ; but • lean would not be binding
on one side only. "if the landlord gave a [cam, he,
on his side, would expect an assurance that the terms
of the written agreement would be observed, and conse-
quently lie must have his conditions as well as the
tenant. But what he (Sir H. Verney) desired to see
was, that the tenant-farmers of this country might have
leases which would enable any of them to go to a capi-
talist and say, " I have got this farm for twenty-
one years ; will you trust to my intelligoice,
integrity, and skill, as an agriculturist, and lend MO
money to cultivate any land ?" He believed that such a
thing as that was praeticable, that it would be for the
advantage of the oeinuomity at large, and for that reason
lie should be glad to see it in operation. Now, there is
little to add to such views, except to amplify details.
When leases have become more general than they now
are, it will be found that the more liberal and simple
their stipulations, the better will they answer the pur-
pose, and advance the interests of both landlords and
tenants. Thus, the absence of cropping regulations,
except for the four last years of the term; no reservation
of game; and no restriction on assigning the lease, will
be variations from ordinary fanning leases which will
greatly enhance the security the tenant-farmer has to
offer for the use of money lent to him for cultivating
his farm. This will rout on the Landlord's interest ;
for the tenant, having by means of a liberal lease ob-
tained more capital and lau increased his profits, will be
both able and willing to pay more rent for his farm. Sir
HarryiVerney then adverted to agricultural Labourers,
about whose condition "landlords were at present show-
ing themselves to be much interested ..... A landlord
ought always to bear in mind that every man on his
estate should have • good house to live in." Emigration
was seine years ago recommended, but now itwas known
that the Labourers were none too many for the wants of
modern husbandry. Of the landowners, Sir If. Verney
said, "they are wonderfully deficient in knowledge of
their business" :—• proposition which was heartily
assented to by the assembled fanners. And it is strictly
true. They may say their's is not a business, but that
is a mistake, for to know how to manage an estate well,
or oven to permit it to be well managed, requires •
degree of attention to cold of acquaintance with facts and
details few English landowners give or poetess. Sir H.
Verney.justly said :—" A doctor, • lawyer, a sailor, or
• soldier, worked hard 'to fit himself for his calling,
but it was supposed every landlord was born fit to dis-
charge the duties of his position. That he believed to
be a great mistake. Ho (Sir if. Verney), was not
brought up as landlord. In his youth he had other
pursuing, but he sincerely desired that those who mane
after hint would learn the management of land. No
good steward would object to seeing a landlord
thoroughly conversant with everything that belonged
to the rumagement of land. Such • knowledge on the
landlord's part would make him value the services of a
good steward the more. He felt certain that all clauses
of agriculturists would be benefitted by landlords
having a perfect knowledge of all that belonged to the
nimagement of their estates." Of that there can be no
doubt. Itut landowners have not only to Meru how to
manage their estates well, they have to unlearn habits
and notions which necemitate mismanagement. They
must give up the idea of personal active control over
the laud which has been let to tenants, and they must
learn that restrictions and precise regulations, merely
impede the farmer without the slightest benefit, nay,
literally with positive injury to the landlord.