FARM, FARIN, or Ferm, (Firma), in Law, signifies a little country messuage or district, containing house or land, with other conveniences; hired, or taken by lease, either in writing, or parole, under a certain yearly rent. See LEASE.
This in divers parts is differently termed: in the north, it is a tack; in Lancashire, fermeholt; in Essex, a wike, &c.
In the corrupted Latin, firma signified a place inclosed or shut in: whence, in some provinces, Menage observes,
observes, they call closier, or closure, what in others they call a farm. Add, that we find locare ad firmam, to signify to let to farm; probably on account of the sure hold the tenant here has in comparison of tenants at will.
Spelman and Skinner, however, choose to derive the word farm from the Saxon fearme, or feorme, that is, victus, "provision;" by reason the country people and tenants anciently paid their rents in victuals and other necessaries, which were afterwards converted into the payment of a sum of money. Whence a farm was originally a place that furnished its landlord with provisions. And among the Normans they still distinguish between farms that pay in kind, i. e. provisions, and those which pay in money; calling the former simply fermes, and the latter blanche ferme, "white farm."
Spelman shows, that the word firma, anciently signified not only what we now call a farm, but also a feast or entertainment, which the farmer gave the proprietor or landlord, for a certain number of days, and at a certain rate, for the lands he held of him. Thus fearme in the laws of King Canute is rendered by Mr Lambard, victus: and thus we read of reddere firmam unius noctis, and reddebat unum diem de firma; which denote provision for a night and day, the rents about the time of the Conquest being all paid in provisions; which custom is said to have been first altered under King Henry I. We also say to farm duties, imposts, &c.
Culture of a FARM. See AGRICULTURE.