Innovation in Agriculture


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Innovation in Agriculture

  • Innovation in Agriculture: In late 17th century, farmers continued to use the simple innovation in agriculture. In 1660s, farmers in many parts of England began growing turnip and clover, instead of leaving the land. They started practicing crop rotation to increase soil fertility. They soon discovered that planting these crops improved the soil and made it more fertile. Turnip was moreover, a good fodder crop relished by cattle, so farmers began cultivating turnips and clover regularly. These crops became part of the cropping system. Later findings showed that these crops had the capacity to increase the nitrogen content of the soil.Nitrogen was important for crop growth.

  • Cultivation of the same soil over a few years depleted the nitrogen in the soil and reduced its fertility. By restoring nitrogen, turnip and clover made the soil fertile once again. We find that farmers in the early 19th century used much the same method to improve agriculture on a more regular basis.
  • Enclosures were now seen as necessary to make long- term investments on land and plan crop rotations to improve the soil.Enclosures also allowed the richer landowners to expand the land under their control and produce more for the market.
  • Effect of Enclosures on the Poor: Enclosures allowed only the landlords to make more profit. But for the poor, life became hard. when fences came up,the enclosed land became the exclusive property of one landowner.The poor could no longer collect their firewood from the forests, or graze their cattle on the commons.They could no longer collect apples and berries, or hunt small animals for meat.Nor could they gather the stalks that lay on the fields after the crops were cut. Everything belonged to the landlords, everything had a price which the poor could not afford to pay.

  • In places where enclosure happened on an extensive scale- particularly the midlands and the countries around - the poor were displaced from the land. They found their customary rights gradually disappearing.
  • Deprived of the rights and driven off the land , they tramped in search of work from the midlands,they moved to southern countries of England. This was the region that was intensively cultivated, and there was a great demand for agriculture labourers. But now where could the poor find secure jobs.
  • Earlier , the labourers lived with their landlords . They helped their masters  and worked  for them throughout the year. by 1800 , this practice was disappearing . Landlords tried to increase their profit. Thus, they cut the amount they had to spend on their labourers. The laborers were employed only during the harvest time. for a large part of the year,the poor had no work. 
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