-
Period: to
Enclosure Acts
The Enclosure Acts were a series of acts by the Parliament of England. They enclosed common lands into smaller individual shares of farmland. -
The Royal Society of London Advocates the Potato
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge was important in promoting science and its benefits in England. During the 1660's it advocated for the potato as a crop. The Society argued that the potato seemed to thrive even when wheat failed, making it a reliable food source. -
Land Conversion, Drainage, and Reclamation Programs
The conversion of pasture land to arable land in England increased the amount of arable land available by 10-30%. Dutch experts brought some drainage technology to Britain, such as new methods of soil drainage. -
Development of a National Market
Regional markets were growing and were widespread in England by 1500. The development of a national market began, focused in London and other large cities. By 1700, there was a national market for wheat. -
Jethro Tull and the Seed Drill
Jethro Tull was an English agronomist and agriculturist and his ideas helped build the foundation of modern British agriculture. His invention and perfection of the seed drill in 1701 allowed for seeds to be sown conservatively in neat rows. -
Charles “Turnip” Townsend
Townshend earned his nickname "Turnip" through his use of turnips in crop rotation. One of his four rotational crops that he used in his crop rotation was turnips, which he used to feed his livestock. He advocated for and popularized the use of turnips in crop rotation in England. -
Period: to
Arthur Young
Arthur Young was an English agriculturist. Not much of a farmer himself, he wrote many books on agriculture and politics. He was an important advocate for many of the new agricultural methods and techniques of his time. -
Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding
Selective breeding was introduced in England by Robert Bakewell and Thomas Coke in the mid-18th century. This was the practice of mating two animals together that both have desirable characteristics or genetics, in order to produce more animals with those desirable characteristics. -
Dutch and Rotherham swing (wheel-less) plough
This plough was brought to England by Dutch contractors. It was easy to control and to use. Some improvements were made to it by the British, and by 1770 it was the best and the cheapest plow available. -
Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation
The Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation was a method of crop rotation that became popular and was fairly common on farms by 1800. It was distinguished by the lack of a fallow year and a focus on fodder crops (feed for animals). It consisted specifically of a year of wheat, followed by a year of turnips, followed by barley, and finally ryegrass and clover.