QUARTER-DAYS are the days adopted between landlord and tenant for entering or quitting lands or houses and for paying rent. The origin of these periods is no doubt due entirely to convenience, and though in England they are unknown to the common law, yet now they are almost part and parcel of every agreement made between parties as to the letting of houses and land. In England, if nothing is said as to the time of payment of rent, it is due only once a •ear, and the first payment is due at the end of a year from the time of entry. But, owing to the convenience of the usual quarter-days, they are commonly referred to, and thereby imported into the contract. Thus, it is usual to enter and leave houses either at one of the four ordinary quarter-days. or where it is so arranged at half-quarter-days, and these points of time are fixed upon for the convenience of calculating rent. Rent of houses is generally made payable quarterly on the usual quarter-days. These are, in England and Ireland, Lady day, Mar. 25;
Midsummer day, June 24; Michaelmas day, Sept. 29; and Christmas day, Dee. 25. In Scotland, there are what are called two legal terms in each year, and two con ventional terms, the latter being only adopted when expressly so agreed. The legal terms are Whitsunday, May 15. and Martinmas, Nov. 11; and the conventional terms are Candlemas, Feb. 2, and Lammas, Aug. 1. The law of Scotland differs from that of England in this, that if nothing is said between the parties on letting houses and lands, these legal terms are impliedly included as part of the agreement, both as regards time of entry and payment of rent. Thus, as to houses and grass-lands, the legal term of the entry is Whitsunday, and that of entry to arable land is Martinmas. So the rent is presumed to be payable twice a year at those legal terms, if nothing is said to the contrary.