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the landlord or tacksman. Along with the land, he lets diewhole stock of cattle upon it. In this case, that stock is valued ;and at the expiration of the lease, the subtenant must either pro-duce a stock in the same condition, or pay in value the balance.This is called Steel-bow; or a farm let in steel-bow.
By this sort of agreement, the subtenant pays two, or some-times three rents for the farm, besides a high or usurious interestfor the small capital, or value of live-stock, lent to the small far-mer.
Half foot,
Is another method of occupying a farm, equally barbarous initself, and adverse to improvement. It is not so prevalent in theHighlands as in some of the Western Isles . Dr Walker says thatit is, however, practised in Skye and the neighbouring counties.
In this case, the possessor furnishes the land, and the seed-corn. The other party ploughs, sows, and harrows it. Thecrop in harvest is then divided between the proprietor and tenant.Under these circumstances, it is clear that tie interest of thelandlord, and the improvement of the soil is overlooked by boththese parties. The object both of the possessor and the labourerof the soil, is to reap as much immediate profit as possible.
II. Stipulations in Leases, and Servitudes , and Casualties, pecu-liar to the Highlands and Hebrides , prove a great obstacle to im-provement.
Most of these were originally imposed of necessity, or evenfrom benevolent motives on the part of the proprietor. The pro-prietor was always resident, the farmer had not money, but couldeasily pay his rent either in kind or by servitude.
Payment in Kind.
This was a practice which long ago prevailed over all Scot-land ; and it still exists in a great part of the north of Europe ; inRussia and Sweden more especially. For similar reasons it is stillretained over a considerable portion of the Highlands and theIsles . In place of a fixed rent in money, a part of the produceof the farm, i. e. of grain, &c. is paid to the proprietor.
In the present situation of the Highlands and Hebrides , suchstipulations are oppressive to the tenant, and injurious to thelandlord. The population of these districts is now increased tosuch a pitch, that they cannot supply themselves with the neces-saries of life. The produce of few farms, in grain, is adequateto the immediate wants of the tenant and his servants.
As the causes which gave origin to such stipulations have ceas-ed, the custom itself ought also to be abolished. Accordinglyit has been on the decline for many years. In many instances,