ii2 ENGLISH RURAL LIFE 



demand for beef, mutton and pork, which grew with 

 the enlarged town population. As a general result, pro- 

 duction was encouraged, and for about one hundred 

 years England was able to supply her own food, and 

 even in favourable seasons to export some corn. From 

 the closing years of the XVIIIth century England 

 ceased to feed herself and became an importing country ; 

 this change, coupled with the higher import duties on 

 wheat and the Napoleonic wars, resulted in a rise in the 

 price of corn. The high prices were accompanied by 

 great variations from year to year ; wheat, in particular, 

 oscillated from under 505. a quarter to 1565. The 

 high prices were a serious misfortune for the manual 

 workers both in town and country, since they resulted 

 in a great increase in the cost of food. Amongst the 

 farmers, the clever men made considerable fortunes ; but 

 the class as a whole benefited less than might be expected, 

 since rents went up and rates were extremely high, 

 whilst the variations in prices introduced a disastrous 

 element of uncertainty and speculation into farming. 



The next important result of the new control was the 



development of cultivation the uprising of the new 



agriculture. It was typical of the XVI Ith 



Thenewagri- cen tury that much information and advice 



culture and . 



its leaders. was given to farmers by many ingenious 



writers. In the XVIIIth century this 

 advice began to be taken to heart and agriculture 

 improved steadily. 



The story of this improvement can best be told by 

 reference to the lives of its most distinguished leaders, 

 men who made this period famous and unique in 

 English history. Of these the first was Jethro Tull 

 (1674-1741). A lawyer by training, he gave up his 



