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LEASES.

As I consider these, to be tbe first, and greatest en- couragement to Agriculture, I sball begin with them.

I AM sorry to find, that the same prejudice, which of late years has so much influenced the minds of gentlemen of landed pro- perty, against the practice of granting their tenants leases, ha⸗ too strongly rooted itself in this, as well as most other counties; which is certainly very detrimental to all good husbandry, and a great check to many improvements, which would otherwise, have been long since effected.

There are, it is true, some Estates granted on terms of seven, fourteen, and twenty-one years; but from the best information I could obtain, the quantity of land so demised, bears but a very small proportion, to the extent of the county.

There are also many estates, held by leases on lives, under cor- porate, collegiate, and ecclesiastical bodies, and some few still ex-

isting of a similar tenure, under lay-lords.

OBSERVATIONS. In a country where the Soil is poor, and Population thin, there

can be no measure adopted, for the improvement of the one, and

increase of the other, so efficacious, and beneficial to society, as

5 ₰ Aaae r 7— r aA-— 1. anf 2 that of granting leases, for such terms as promise the tenant, a 1

reasonable compensation, for his judgment, labour, and capital.

1

Next to a recommendation of this useful measure, IJ take the liberty of advising, that the contract be liberal on both sides;

having for its object, the general good of agriculture; and with it, the reciprocal interest, of landlord and tenant, which may be se- cured by a few strong, and judicious covenants, adapted to th nature of the Soil, and which would answer the purpose of pro-

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For remarks,&c.