xxxviii INTRODUCTION 



devastation of produce, resulting from superior cultivation, by more 

 game. 



In 1827 Lord Wharncliffe introduced a Bill in the House of Lords 

 to modify the invidious and oppressive Game Laws and enable 

 every proprietor of land to kill game thereon, to legalise the sale 

 of game, and to mitigate the severity of the punishment provided 

 for certain offences against the existing Game Laws. It was lost 

 on third reading by a majority of one. In the discussion on the 

 Bill, Lord Harrowby said that, during the last three years, about 

 4,500 persons had been imprisoned under the Game Laws, while 

 the number in 1810, 1811 and 1812 had been only about 460. 

 Lord Suffield introduced a Bill, eventually carried, for abolishing 

 the barbarous practice of setting spring guns and other engines 

 of destruction for the preservation of game. By the Game Act, 

 i and 2 William IV, cap. XXXII, the Game Laws were greatly 

 modified, the necessity for any qualification except the possession 

 of a game certificate being then abolished, and the right being 

 given to any one to kill game on his own land, or on that of another 

 with his permission, the tenant not having any right to interfere 

 with the devastators of his crops as regards game, such act, secret 

 or clandestine, being poaching. 



The Royal Agricultural Society of England was established in 

 May, 1838, and in 1840 it was incorporated by royal charter, the 

 object of which was to encourage the art and science of agriculture 

 on the most approved principles. The Royal Agricultural Society 

 of Ireland, instituted in 1841, and other societies, such as the 

 county and district shows throughout the British islands, had 

 similar aims, and agriculture made rapid strides during the time 

 named and subsequently in draining, not only of swampy spots, 

 but extended systematically to whole farms and every field on 

 the farm. Deep .ploughing and thorough tillage, together with 

 the introduction of improved implements for carrying out the 

 operations. Labour saving inventions , such as the mowing machine, 

 steam thrashing machine, and the steam plough. Scientific inves- 

 tigations, botanical, physiological, and chemical the results 

 passed from books into the hands of practical farmers. Artificial 

 manures, increasing the produce of cultivated lands and extend- 

 ing the limits of cultivation. Improved varieties of plants used 

 as field crops, and their rotations. Betterment in all kinds of 

 stock and feeding on more scientific principles. Railways con- 

 structed over the country, thus the farm produce, live stock, 

 and manures easily transported. 



Up to the year 1843 landlords and their tenants enjoyed the 

 prosperity that befitted their vested interests, but the falling off 

 in the national revenue, marked by a deficiency of considerably 

 over a million and a half on the first quarter, greatly alarmed the 

 country. Trades and manufactures were seriously depressed, 



