390

OBSTACLES TO IMPROVEMENT OF LAND

tisemcnt be adopted in the more improved districts, whereagriculture is far advanced, and the farmers are an active,intelligent, and industrious class of men, possessed of suffi-cient capital, and of unexceptionable character. Where sucha plan is followed, the natural ties which unite the proprietorand his tenant are burst asunder ; and its tendency is, to ex-cite the most malignant feelings in the heart of the tenant, tosee a stranger and a rival promoted over him, and likely toreap the fruits of his long continued exertions and capital,sunk in the improvement of his farm.

By all these means, this mode of letting land, indirectlyproves an obstacle to improvement. But, in certain situa-tions, it does more ; and fatal experience has shown, that itdirectly operates ; for, in many instances, needy adventurers,who have nothing to lose, frequently offer the greatest rent;and the higher the state of improvement in which the farmis found to be, the more are such adventurers tempted tooffer. Having nothing to lose, they are sure of reaping ad-vantage for three or four years at the commencement of theirlease; and by various artifices, they contrive too often tokeep possession of their farm, till it is utterly ruined. Afterconcealing for some time, the gains of their iniquitous con-duct, they frequently abscond, and leave the landlord to reapthe bitter fruits of his own folly and weakness.

To remedy this evil, is easy. Whenever a proprietor hasa set of intelligent, industrious, active tenants, possessed ofsufficient capital to cultivate their farms to advantage, heought, in no shape, and on no account, to run the risk ofparting will) them.' To prevent the possibility of this, in-stead of accepting sealed offers, he ought not even to listento any one proposal, till the tenant in possession of the farmbe heard. To him the first offer ought to be made; nay,made at least three or four years before the expiration of hislease. If, after twelve months’ consideration, he is unwillingto accept, then, but not till then, ought any stranger to bepermitted to bid.