'T^  H  E  firft  obie6l  of  the  improver's  at-
-*-  tention  muft  be  the  arrangement  of
the  lands.  It  is  a  very  common  thing  in
old  farms,  to  have  the  fields  in  fuch  a
ilraggling  fituation,  that  the  inconveni-
ence to  a  tenant  is  prodigious.  Suppofe
the  annexed  plan,  Plate  i.  to  reprefent
the  fields  of  three  farms,  diftinguilhed  by
Numbers  i,  2,  and  3.  it  is  very  evident,
that  the  fituation  of  the  fields  is  inconve-
nient to  a  very  great  degree;  for  moft  of
them  are  far  removed  from  the  dwellings.
Now  the  difference  between  fuch  an  ar-
rangement and  a  more  perfect  one,  of
throwing  to  each  houfe  the  fields  nearefl,
muft  be  very  manifeft,  by  fuppofmg  thofe
marked  *,  ||,  and  J  laid  to  their  refpeclive
houfes.  The  difference  of  the  value  of  the
farms  from  this  fingle  alteration  would  be

great. 1  ftate  this  under  the  fuppofition

that  the  farms  are  of  a  proper  fize  ;  if  they
are  too  fmall,  ail  three  might  be  laid  to-
gether,


t  28  ]

gether,  the  buildings  ere6led  at  -f-,  and  the
fields  thrown  into  the  divifions  marked  by
dotted  lines  ;  which  would  render  them  of
a  fize  proportioned  to  that  of  the  farm.
This  point  of  laying  the  land  as  com-
pact as  pofTible,  fliould  never  be  negle6led  :
it  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  j  info-
much  that  this  fingle  circumflance  would
in  many  farms  raife  the  rent  not  lefs  than
from  IS.  6d.  to  3  s.  an  acre,  and  in  fome
cafes  even  more.
