HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE 



end, a large amount of paper was withdrawn from circulation,, 

 which lowered the price of all commodities, and a large number 

 of country banks failed. The first sufferers were the agricul- 

 tural classes, who happened at that time to hold larger supplies 

 than usual, the value of which fell at once ; the incomes of all 

 were diminished, and the capital of many annihilated. 1 At the 

 same time the demand for our manufactures from abroad fell 

 off; the towns were impoverished, and bought less from the 

 farmer. 



The short period of war in 1815 had little effect on prices, 

 and in January, 1816, wheat was 52^. 6d., and the prices of live 

 stock had fallen considerably. In 1815 protection reached 

 its highest limit, the Act of that year prohibiting import of 

 wheat when the price was under Sos. a quarter, and other 

 grain in proportion. 2 However, it was of no avail ; and in 

 the beginning of 1816 the complaints of agricultural distress 

 were so loud and deep that the Board of Agriculture issued 

 circular letters to every part of the kingdom, asking for in- 

 formation on the state of agriculture. 



According to the answers given, rent had already fallen on an 

 average 25 per cent., and agriculture was in a 'deplorable state 3 .' 

 Bankruptcies, seizures, executions, imprisonments, were rife, 

 many farmers had become parish paupers. Rent was much in 

 arrear, tithes and poor rates unpaid, improvements generally dis- 

 continued, live stock diminished ; alarming gangs of poachers 

 and other depredators ranged the country. The loss was greater 

 on arable than on grass land, and 'flock farms ' had suffered less 

 than others, though they had begun to feel it heavily. 



All classes connected with the land suffered severely; the 

 landlords could not get many of their rents ; the farmer's stock , 

 had depreciated 40 per cent. 4 ; many labourers, who during the ' 



1 farmer's Magazine (1817), p. 69. 



* The duties were often evaded by smuggling ; coasting vessels met the 

 foreign corn ships at sea, received their cargoes, and landed them so as to 

 escape the duty. 3 Agricultural State of the Kingdom, p. 5. 



4 Observations for the Use of Landed Gentlemen (1817), p. 7. 



