52

PLANS OF FARMHOUSES.

certainly ; and tlie most effective, reasonable, and just method of obtaining thatsecurity, is for the landlord to make the steading suitable to the size of thefarm and its mode of husbandry, because then the tenant would have nothingto do but direct his mind entirely to what is called high farming. Were thisunderstanding acted upon, the kindly feeling betwixt landlord and tenant wouldremain undisturbed. But, unfortunately, in most cases, steadings are not socomplete as to meet the exigencies of the farm, and the tenant, knowing this,and knowing also that he has not the spare capital to expend on buildings,binds himself to pay the landlord six and a half per cent on the amount expendedduring the course of the lease. By this proceeding it is the tenant and not thelandlord who has paid the capital and interest required, whereas the steadingought to have been complete before the farm was offered to the public. It isquite as unreasonable in a landlord to expect the highest rent for a farm with anincomplete steading, as for a farmer to expect as great a price for the same oxin a lean as in a fattened condition. If a per-centage is deemed a fair demandby the landlord on the tenant in those circumstances, it is our opinion that itwould be equally fair to demand from the landlord payment of the same per-centage when the tenant expends his capital. And yet how astounded wouldany proprietor be were such an equitable demand proposed by a farmer whenbargaining for a lease, and with what equanimity he would expect the highestrent for his land, however incomplete may be tlie state of the steading!

DIVISION THIRD.—PLANS OF FARMHOUSES.

281. We offer a few remarks on the principles which should regulate ourchoice of the relative position betwixt the farmhouse and steading, and of thesite to be occupied by the farmhouse :—

282. Position of Farmhouse and Steading .—In regard to the relative posi-tions which the farmhouse and steading should occupy, it has been remarkedby a recent writer, that “ it is generally advised that the farmhouse should beplaced directly in front; to which, however, it may be objected, that it casts ashade over the southern entrance of the yard, if very near ; and, if too far off, itsdistance will be found to be inconvenient. Perhaps the best situation is on oneside of the farmyard, with the common parlour and kitchen opening nearly intoit: farmers may talk as they like about unhealthy odours arising from the stablesand yards, but there never was any one injured by them, and they cannot keeptoo close an eye up>on their servants and stock.” * If farmers “ cannot keep tooclose an eye upon their servants and stock,” and if the position of their houseswill enable them to do so, they should do something more than place them “onone side of the farmyard;” they must remain constantly in them, and cause“ their servants and stock ” to be continually in sight in the farmyard, other-wise their watching will be of no avail; for when the servants come to knowthat the house has been placed there merely to watch their proceedings, they,at least, if not the stock, can and will easily avoid the particular place constantlyoverlooked by the house. The truth is, and every farmer knows it, that it isnot the spot occupied by his house, whether here or there, that maintains hisauthority over his servants ; he knows that he himself must be “up and doing”

* British Husbandry, vol. i. p. 86.