38 



CHAPTER IV. 



AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : 

 TURNIP TOWNSHEND AND THE NORFOLK SYSTEM. 



The gigantic strides by which agriculture has advanced 

 within the present century dwarf previous progress into 

 insignificance; but the change between 1700 and 1800 

 was astonishing. While population doubled itself, the 

 number of persons engaged in agriculture decreased not 

 only relatively, but, up to 1770, actually. Before the end 

 of the reign of George III. more than 6^ million acres of 

 land were enclosed. The area under cultivation had in- 

 creased, but not in proportion to the growth of population ; 

 but the difference between the two does not alone measure 

 the increased productiveness of the soil. England not only 

 produced food for a population that had doubled itself, and 

 grain for treble the number of horses, at a greatly reduced 

 expenditure of labour, but during part of the period was, 

 as M. de Lavergne says, the granary of Europe. From 

 1700 to 1764 the standard of living among all classes was 

 considerably raised. The discovery of silver had spent its 

 force, and the value of the precious metals hardened. But 

 the coinage was greatly debased. Consequently there was 

 a great inflation of nominal prices, which dissatisfied con- 

 sumers without benefiting producers. But this difiiculty 

 had been successfully met by the statesmanlike action of 

 the Government of William III. Population increased 



