G.M Trevelyan - SHE - Chapter XII
[alert-success] DR. JOHNSON'S ENGLAND - II
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[alert-primary] Agricultural Revolution in the Age of Johnson [/alert-primary]
[alert-primary] Agricultural Revolution in the Age of Johnson [/alert-primary]
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In England, agriculture
underwent a number of notable changes in the latter half of the 17th century
and the early 18th century. The extraordinary development of England's
agriculture was the outcome of these changes. The Agricultural Revolution of
the 18th Century is what it is known as. Prior to the start of the revolution,
England had remained in an underdeveloped stage, particularly in agriculture.
There are several reasons
that initiated Agricultural Revolution. i) The failure of the Open Field System.
ii) The distribution of lands. iii) New Experiments were prevented. iv) Scarcity
of food distribution. v) Landlords were ready to adopt the new practises.
George II as "Farmer George":
The enclosure of open
fields was governed more by the parties' mutual consent rather than laws. Private
Acts of Parliament were passed ignoring individual Proprietors' opposition to
the new agricultural order of the day after seeing the advantages of the
enclosure system. The farmers received compensation from the Parliamentary
Commission, and they were required to accept the amount chosen by the
Commission. George Ill, who was affectionately known by his subjects as
"Farmer George," accelerated the shift by passing a number of these
innovative Acts.
The Age of Enclosure
By 1820, the enclosure process was almost
finished. Rectangular hedged fields were created to enclose the open fields.
Farmers shifted to a sophisticated crop rotation system in place of their
previous method of agriculture. Gamekeepers, mantraps, and spring weapons were
used to protect the Ardeny new plantations. New techniques for draining,
drilling, seeding, manuring, breeding, and feeding cattle also emerged during
the Age of Enclosure.
Agricultural Improvers
Crop rotation was tested
by Charles Townshend. In England, he popularised the four-field rotation
system. He emphasised that the soil may be improved by growing turnips
alongside two varieties of grain and clover. Thomas Coke, an English aristocrat
who also experimented with the idea of enhancing the soil with manure, employed
and popularised this approach.
One of the earliest people
to experiment with livestock was Robert Bakewell. He conducted research using
cattle from the "long-term" breed. He created enhanced cow, sheep, and
horse breeds. The "Leicester Sheep" was the name of Bakewell's new
breed of sheep. Charles Colling successfully created the "short-term"
breed of cattle that are now well-known worldwide by using Bakewell's method.
Others, including George Culley and John
Ellman, carried out ground-breaking work in the breeding and rearing of cattle.
Jettsro Tull, a pioneer in the agricultural development programme and the
creator of the seed-sowing machine, was the first significant agricultural
revolution innovator. All farm equipment has its ancestors in Tull's drill. The
writings of eminent agricultural writers brought success. Through his writing,
Arthur Young, the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, informed people about
enclosures, longer leases, and new techniques.
Villagers' Flight to London
The migration of the
villagers to London and other comparable "promising towns" was
another significant social effect. The struggling farmer left his community to
seek his fortune in the brand-new industrial towns. Due to widespread
irrigation, England in 1750 had been predominately agricultural, but by 1820,
it had essentially become urban. The "passing of rich with forty pounds a
year" and the era in which every rood of ground supported a man are
lamented by Oliver Goldsmith.
Conclusion
Food, milk, meat, and wool
production all increased significantly. As a result, the demands of the
populace were successfully met. In a very sad way, Goldsmith's "Deserted
Village" depicts the departure of these modest landowners.
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