VI] CHEQUERED CAREER OF THE CLAYS 97 



land and to keep the fertility up to the new level 

 to which the drainage and hming had brought it. 

 But the introduction of live stock had far-reaching 

 economic effects also : it afforded employment for 

 the labourers during the winter, and it had a steady- 

 ing influence on the farm receipts. For when the 

 price of wheat was low that of meat was high, and 

 vice versa, a relationship that crystallised into the 

 saying, " Up corn, down horn." 



In this way many clay farms were made fruitful ; 

 lime and chalk once more came into use, and the 

 introduction of artificial manures and of concen- 

 trated feeding stuffs for the animals contributed 

 largely to the increase in crop production that was 

 taking place. 



But the tide of prosperity began to turn, and in 

 the late 'seventies a run of bad times set in, ruining 

 many farmers and throwing out of cultivation much 

 of the land that had been reclaimed. It lay for 

 years neglected and covered with grass and weeds ; 

 its only use was to afford a little poor grazing for 

 live stock. It was certainly gaining fertility and 

 increasing its stores of nitrogenous organic matter, 

 but it afforded little sustenance to the farmer. 

 Essex, which had in the 'sixties been extremely pros- 

 perous, looked like becoming derelict: other clay 

 counties fared no better. Many of the farmers who 

 survived met the crisis by laying down their land to 



R. 7 



