CHAPTER IX 



A Clouded Horizon Farmers' Trials The Revolt of the Labourers 

 The Maligned Landowner. 



MANY of the earlier recollections here set 

 down were gathered during the cheery 

 times of agriculture, when things were, 

 more or less, booming. The discovery of gold in 

 California in 1848 and in Australia in the early 

 'fifties was good for agriculture and commerce, and 

 then the Crimean War sent prices up, and the 

 American War helped to keep them there. 



But there was a bad time coming, and one of 

 the first of a succession of misfortunes was the 

 importation from Russia of that terrible disease, 

 the rinderpest, or cattle plague. I have a vivid 

 remembrance of its devastating effect upon 

 agriculture. It meant absolute ruination to 

 hundreds of farmers, and the sufferings of their 

 animals were pitiable in the extreme. It broke 

 out in this country in 1865, and it was not until 

 1867 that its ravages were stayed. Fully half a 

 million head of cattle died, at a direct cost of 

 at least 5,000,000, apart from the indirect drain 

 upon resources by the general dislocation of all 

 trade in beasts, for markets, fairs, and shows 

 had to be suspended. For many years and 

 until his death, I enjoyed the friendship of 

 Professor (in later years, Sir George) Brown, C.B., 



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