INTRODUCTION. x1

That great inconvenience and much difadvantage, in a natural as well as individual point of view, arifes from the pofleffion of lands clogged with fuch cuftoms, cannot be doubted; but perhaps the greateft mifchiefis the reftraint which is thus impofed on the art of hufbandry.

The tenures of land, in many inftances, are not lefs injurious:to the advancement of agriculture than: the cireumftance of grounds being watte or im a commonable ftate. A large part of the land of this country is held under lords-of-manors, by a kind'of copy-hold or cuftomary tenure which fubjects the tenants to the payments of fines on the deceafe of the Jords or tenants, and on the alienation of the property, as well as certain annual rents, and in fome places even to the performance of various difagreeable ferviees; from which it is impoffible that the holders of Jands under fuch reftricted’ conditions, efpecially where the lords are entitled to fines proportioned to the improved value of fuch property, can be difpofed to the expenditure of money, or the ufing of much exertion in order to bring fuch lands

into an improved ftate of hufbandry. It has been jufily obferved that,“one great©

obftacle to improvement, arifes from a laudable anxiety in the cuftomary tenants to have their little patrimony defcend to their children. Thefe fmall pro- perties, loaded with fines, heriots, and boondays, joined to the neceflary ex- penfe of bringing up and educating a numerous family, can only be handed down from father to fon by the utmoft thrift, hard labour, and penurious living; and every little faving being hoarded up for the payment of the eventful fine, leaves nothing for the expenfe of travelling to fee improved modes of culture; to gain a knowledge of the management and profits of different breeds of{tock;. and to be convinced by ocular proofs, that their own fituations are capable of producing fimilar advantages> and even fhould they be half inclined to adopt the new prac- tice, prudence whifpers,. that fhould: the experiment fail, it would require the faving of many years to make good the deficiency*.”

Such lands: too-as are held: under corporations, whether they be civil or religious, as they do not aftord'the oecupiers of them that kind of intereft and fecurity which becomes the{timulus of exertion and improvement, are of courfe detrimental to the progrefs of the profeffion.. In lands of: this tenure no exchanges for the pur- pofe of mutual accommodation and advantage can be entered into; no improvements in the way of cutting canals or laying out roads:can be fafely made without the

* Modern.Agriculture, Vol. IV,

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