To form a complete LAND STEWARD, it is requisite that theory and
practice should be combined. By consulting books we profit by the
experience of other men, enlarge our own sphere of thinking, and add
more, perhaps, to our stock of knowledge in a short space of time, than
could be acquired by long and laborious practice. No land steward or
even ordinary farmer should be without _Young’s Farmer’s Calendar_,
the last edition of which, improved by Middleton, contains a body of
valuable information; but Mr. Lawrence on this subject, with great
propriety, recommends the reading of Tull and Miller, as the great
originals on tillage; Ellis on sheep and other live stock; and the
Surveys of the several Counties of the Kingdom, made, and published by
the Board of Agriculture.
To these, for a further knowledge in the treatment of live stock, may
be recommended a perusal of our best veterinary treatises. We must also
recommend Sir John Sinclair’s Code of Agriculture, as a companion to
Middleton’s edition of Young’s Calendar, and these, with Mackenzie’s
Receipt Book, ought to be the standing literary furniture of every
steward’s room.
The land steward should never undertake more business than he can
faithfully and properly execute, and therefore should have no other
occupation or profession to attend; the mere collecting of rents and
giving discharges being the least considerable part of his duty.
On his first entering into office, he should make a general survey of
all the estates and property entrusted to his care:—he should also form
an inventory, and open a set of books on a clear and perspicuous plan,
if not already done by his predecessor, taking care to enter in them a
correct list of all the books, writings, deeds, schedules, court-rolls,
&c. From this survey, whether left by his predecessor, or taken by
himself, regular memorandums should be made in a book, of every thing
necessary to be remarked or executed, of the places where deficiencies
are found, or improvements may be made; of buildings and repairs
necessary; insurances, dates of leases, rates, nuisances, trespasses,
live and dead stock, game, timber, fencing, draining, paths, and roads,
culture, commons, rivers, and sea coasts, and of every other specific
article relative to his trust, which deserves attention, and therefore
ought not to be committed to loose papers, or left to memory.
He should endeavour to gain a practical knowledge of the characters and
conduct of inferior servants, taking nothing upon trust; but observing
with his own eyes their performances early and late. A faithful steward
will lose no time in detecting the peculations, and counteracting the
combinations among those servants who are under his controul, which may
be prejudicial to the estate of his principal; and of replacing them
with servants of fair character, to whom ample wages should be allowed;
and the job work, or more profitable kinds of labour, should be
impartially dealt out to them, that so, all may be equally benefited,
and equally satisfied.
Every farm, when surveyed, should be correctly described in a map, of
which the tenant should have a copy. A Terrier should also be kept
of the commonfield-lands, for the satisfaction of the tenant as well
as the lord, and where the bounds of any parcel of land are dubious,
they should be fixed, and properly marked out, by a jury impannelled
at the manor court. The boundaries of the parish and precincts should
also be ascertained, and the particular property of the lord kept
entire, by the annual custom of perambulation on Holy Thursday, and its
concomitant ceremonies. The steward should frequently ride round and
make an eye survey of the estates, in order to obviate any disputes,—to
prevent encroachments, and to afford timely advice and assistance if
necessary. He should see that all repairs are duly and substantially
performed according to covenant, ditches cast and scoured, water
courses kept free, common rights fairly enjoyed, according to the
custom of the manor, the commons not overstocked by one, in prejudice
to others, observe that the underwood be cut at the stated periods,
that the trees are properly lopped and topped without damage to the
lord, that the wood-wards do watch and report all trespasses by cattle
and otherwise, and to discourage poaching and the destruction of game,
by all fair, moderate, and rational means.
The tenants should not be suffered to let their lands be over-run by
moles—nor the commons and woodlands by swine unrung.
The strictest caution should be used to prevent all the produce of the
estates, that is fit for manure or other useful purposes, from being
alienated or carried off.
An eye ought always to be kept on the surveyor of the highways of the
neighbouring parishes, to see that no nuisance exists, or bridge or
highway be neglected.
Trespasses from stray cattle ought to be prevented, and if necessary
punished, as well as the depredations of dogs, which often do much
injury to the farmer.
It behoves the steward to support, and cause to be recognized, all the
ancient manorial rights and privileges that are usually respected.
Heriots accruing from copyhold estates, ought not to be taken in kind,
but a moderate fine should be levied in lieu thereof.
Encouragement should be given to improvements in cultivation. The
best heads of cattle should be introduced, and any successful mode of
culture recommended among the tenantry. They should also be stimulated
to plant fruit-trees, as means of adding to the produce without
encumbering the land.
The transactions of the steward should always be pure, incorruptible,
and free even from suspicion. He ought not to sell preference, either
for money or for any indirect consideration, such concession to him
being in effect a robbery on the tenant, or on his employer, who is
entitled to all the advantages which can accrue from his estate. If
a sum of money is covertly given for preference in a lease, then
the lease is worth so much more, and the proprietor is defrauded of
the difference. Nothing can be more pernicious to an estate than
such underhand transactions. Modest industry and merit are thereby
subverted by the audacity of knaves, and the steward, from the
moment he has thus sold himself becomes a dependent on the honour of
the parties. Preference given to kin ought also to be avoided, and
every nobleman and gentleman is justified in being jealous of the
introduction of his steward’s kindred upon his estate, often to the
great prejudice of his old and attached tenants.
Many stewards become the tyrants of their vicinity by an impertinent
interference with the domestic economy of the families of the
tenants, presuming to prescribe in regard to their dress, habits, and
amusements, seeming thereby to consider them as vassals, instead of
freemen, to whose industry their landlord is indebted for his ease
and luxury. With these affairs the steward has no concern, and every
farmer and his family should be left to their own discretion in such
particulars, if they pay with regularity the average rent of their
vicinity, and do not manifestly deteriorate the estate; they are, and
ought to be, in all their domestic and personal concerns, and also in
their opinions, religious and political, as independent of the steward,
or of his employer, as these parties are of them. His interference
has, in truth, tended to retard the civilization of the agricultural
classes, and, in many districts, placed them one or two centuries
behind the inhabitants of towns. The steward, therefore, who forbears
to meddle with what does not properly concern him, will enjoy the love
of tenantry, and that affection will always best promote the interest
of his employers.
Whilst the steward is not unmindful of every possible improvement, he
should keep in view every appearance of the existence of minerals or
metals, that so the needful essays or experiments may be made under the
superintendance of persons of experience and fidelity. Proximity to the
sea coast, navigable rivers, canals, or great towns, will much enhance
the value of such discoveries.
Every opportunity should be embraced of letting land on building
leases, as a means of greatly improving the value of estates; the
fitness by means of water and roads for the establishment of a
manufactory, or a village, or, by being near the sea coast, for a
fishery, are objects too important to be overlooked by a faithful and
intelligent agent.
It has already been remarked, that the land steward should not be
engaged in any business that would detract from that attention which
is required in the faithful discharge of the duties of his office;
and even in performing those engagements, he should occasionally
be assisted, in cases of importance, where he may consider his own
knowledge not sufficient, by an able professional adviser. He will most
require this aid in the making of leases, deeds, agreements, and other
legal instruments.
The balance of cash, which may often be considerable, ought not be
allowed to lie idle in the house. All money is part of the vital blood
of society, and should be kept in circulation. This may be effected
either by lodging it at a country bank, where moderate interest will
be allowed for it, or by discounting the notes of respectable tenants,
who, at certain turns of the season, are often in want of ready money,
and their notes will, in many cases, serve as cash payments for other
purposes, or they may be made to fall due at periods when cash will be
wanted, while it will thus be accumulating at five per cent. No risk
need be incurred in such transactions, while the accommodation would
add much to the prosperity of the estate. If the steward reside in
London, spare cash may, in like manner, be employed at a full rate of
interest, by discounting such good bills as are always to be met with
at the principal brokers in and about Lombard Street; and these bills
will be received by the bankers as they arrive at maturity. By this
means 3 or 4 per cent may always be added to the income of a nobleman
or gentleman, or sufficient to pay the wages of all the servants.
In the business of accounts, the first objects are, arrangement,
perspicuity, and security. In all accounts of property, there are
certain general rules which must be attended to, the chief of which
are the following: 1st. Trust as little as possible to memory, but
make memorandums of payments, receipts, bargains, agreements, &c. on
the instant. 2d. Pay no money without receiving a proper discharge.
3d. Give up no security, lease, agreement, or other valuable property,
without taking in return a written acknowledgement. 4th. Let all
contingent, undecided, or uncertain transactions be forthwith entered,
with every necessary remark, voucher, and reference. 5th. Post all the
various transactions under their proper heads as soon as possible. 6th.
Fold, label, date, and class all papers, the most valuable of which
are to be deposited at the end of every year, in a secure place, with
the date on the outside. Perhaps the two principal books necessary to
be kept, are a DAY-BOOK or JOURNAL, and a LEDGER, with two other books,
to be called the MEMORANDUM-BOOK, and GENERAL INVENTORY. A portable
POCKET MEMORANDUM-BOOK will also be found to be convenient. Every
servant in trust under the land steward ought to be provided with an
account book appropriately ruled: this book should be examined and
passed monthly by the steward and an abstract of it transcribed into
his journal.