Lairds of Glenlyon

308 THE LAIRDS OF GLENLYON.
told that they were free to enjoy the privileges of the
Act then passed into law, during the currency of their
existing leases ; and on that occasion I was glad to
be able to accord the same privileges to the farmers
at Cluny, in Strathtay, where I had a lease as shooting
tenant for 8 or 10 years to come. Your future material
and moral prosperity will not depend upon legislation so
much as upon yourselves ; but I may indicate to you how
agricultural interests may yet be dealt with in such a way
as to secure your interests and my own as tenants and
proprietor. We may hope ere long to obtain a simplifica-
tion of the system of transfer of property ; the total aboli-
tion of the remnant of hypothec ; some modification of the
scope of the Ground Game Act ; and amendments in the
Agricultural Holdings Act, now that we know the points
on which that Act is not sufficiently explicit or comprehen-
sive. Hitherto it has been the boast of Scottish farmers that
they do not require, as in Ireland, an appeal to a Land
Court for the fixing of rent or adjustment of difficulties be-
tween them and their landlords. In my humble judgment
the Scottish tenant farmer is endowed with good sense,
and is clever enough to be able to make a bargain for
himself. In this district I hardly believe you would
care to have a Land Court, with all the expenses in-
cidental thereto, for the simple reason that from time
immemorial you have been accustomed to depend upon
neighbours of judgment and discretion to act as arbiters
when differences arose. If, however, it should appear to
be the general wish of tenant farmers to have a Land
Court, or valuators appointed by the Sheriff in order to
give legal sanction to such references to arbitration, there is