THE DECLINE OF LANDOWNING FARMERS IN 

 ENGLAND 



By Henry Charles Taylor, Ph.D. 



(From the Bulletin of the University of Wisconsin, June, 1904) 



[This selection begins with Chapter IV of this important study by Professor 

 Henry C. Taylor. The preceding chapters had described the conditions of land 

 tenure in England at the close of the seventeenth century and the changes, 

 amounting almost to a revolution, which came about in the eighteenth century, 

 especially the gradual displacement of the yeomen by the gentlemen farmers. 

 Ed.] 



THE AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION FROM 1820 TO 1836, AND 

 ITS INFLUENCE UPON LANDOWNERSHIP 



* 'nr^HE first twelve years of the nineteenth century were extremely 

 X prosperous times for English agriculture, and until 1820 prices 

 had not been reduced very materially ;i but from 1820 to 1836 

 prices were comparatively low. This era of low prices, following 

 the great prosperity of war times, wrought disaster among all 

 classes in England who were dependent upon agriculture for an 

 income. Tooke attributes the high prices of the one period and 

 the low prices of the other to the war, the currency, and the varia- 

 tions of the seasons, along with a rapidly growing population 

 engaged in manufactures and commerce. The war made the 

 importation of food dangerous and expensive ; and a somewhat 

 debased currency, and bad seasons at the close of the century, 

 with an increasing demand for food, resulted in enormously high 

 prices. On the other hand, peace, a restored currency and a 

 series of excellent crops after 18 19 resulted in a great reduction 

 in prices. 



The purpose of this chapter is to determine the influence of this 

 agricultural depression upon the landowning farmers of England. 



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