94 SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE, 1812 TO 1845 



the general revival of trade, yet the period left its mark 

 not only in the extinction of small landowners, but in the 

 retrogression of farming. On heavy clays less capital and 

 less labour were expended ; wet seasons prevented farmers 

 from getting upon their land, and led to the discontinuance 

 of manure, excessive cropping, and the impoverishment, 

 even the abandonment, of heavier soils. Wages had been 

 lowered and labourers dismissed ; Swing and his prose- 

 lytes were at work, and in 1830-1 agrarian fires blazed 

 from Dorsetshire to Lincolnshire. To add to the difficulties 

 of the clay farmer, the rot of 1830-1, which is described as 

 the most disastrous on record, ' swept away two million 

 sheep.' Much of the land was in miserable condition. 

 Ploughed up when corn was high, it was badly laid down 

 again when prices fell. Some was cultivated as ' up and 

 down land,' tilled for two or three years, and then aban- 

 doned, according to variations in the price of wheat. A 

 general want of confidence prevailed between landlords 

 and tenants, and recent experience created a profound dis- 

 trust of leases. Rents had been reduced from 25 to 30 

 per cent., and large arrears had accumulated ; poor rates 



ment ' is interesting as showing some of the ordinary expenses of living 



in 1 822 :— 



£ 

 A person has an estate of, per annum .... 500 

 (His family consists of himself, wife, four children, 



one man and two women servants.) £ 



Education of his children with their clothing . .160 



Assessed and parochial taxes 30 



Servants' wages 25 



Own and wife's clothing 35 



Deduct a third of his income . . . . .16(5 



416 



Remain to bear the expenses of housekeeping, &c. 

 What is to become of this class and all under ? 



