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Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation
The Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation was a method of farming developed in Norfolk, England that included an absence of a fallow year. A fallow year refers to leaving a field unseeded during a growing season, a year, or up to five years. The method revolves around switching between four crops every year. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Norfolk-four-course-system. -
Enclosure Act
The Enclosure Act brought forth the end of open farming land that was shared, and enclosed the land with roads. Now lords of the land owned the land all year, and could choose to not share it all. Cite:
https://sites.udel.edu/britlitwiki/the-enclosure-acts/#:~:text=The%20Enclosure%20Acts%20were%20essentially,had%2C%20was%20taken%20from%20them. -
Development of a National Market
With the boom in agriculture during the agricultural revolution, farmers were no longer dependent on their local markets. This allowed them to raise their prices as they were no longer confined to their overcrowded areas. Cite:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/effects-of-the-agricultural-revolution/ -
Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding
Selective breeding is when one intentionally breeds an animal with a desirable trait with another, passing that trait along. It is said to be created by Thomas Coke and Robert Bakewell. Cite:
https://www.albert.io/blog/agricultural-revolution-ap-european-history-crash-course/#:~:text=Selective%20breeding%20was%20introduced%20in,breeding%20was%20probably%20in%20sheep. -
Jethro Tull and the Seed Drill
The Seed Drill was a tool made by Jethro Tull as pictured below. It was either pushed by a human or a horse, and was used to spread seeds. Cite:
https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/jethro-tull#:~:text=Jethro%20Tull's%20seed%20drill.,above%20to%20a%20funnel%20below. -
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge advocates the potato
Family that only has access to acre of land could grow enough potatoes to feed a whole family in small plot. More children able to make it beyond age 5 than ever before in European history. Was advocated by the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge. Cite:
https://www.britannica.com/plant/potato -
Charles “Turnip” Townsend
Charles “Turnip” Townsend is credited with the implementation of turnips into crop rotations. He directed British foreign policy from 1721 to 1730. Cite:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jun. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Townshend-2nd-Viscount-Townshend. Accessed 27 November 2022. -
Land Conversion, Drainage, and Reclamation Programs
This is when many people started to use land that was deemed unusable, or was just unused before. They started to convert it into farming land. Cite:
https://www.coursehero.com/study-guides/boundless-worldhistory/the-agricultural-revolution/ -
Dutch and Rotherham swing (wheel-less) plough
The Dutch and Rotherham swing (wheel-less) plow was a wheel less plow that was created by dutch farmers. It could be led by horses, allowing for farmers to save money on farmers. Cite:
https://www.ploughmen.co.uk/about-us/history-of-the-plough#:~:text=Known%20as%20the%20'Rotherham%20Swing,covered%20with%20an%20iron%20plate. -
Arthur Young
Arthur Young was a writer who wrote about methods of agriculture. He helped pioneer the use of statistics in regards to farming and agriculture. Cite:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Arthur Young". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Sep. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-Young. Accessed 26 November 2022.