AGRICULTURE IN BRITAIN. 431 



and hitherto degraded occupation. The culture of hops was 

 either introduced or revived early in the reign of Henry VIIL, 

 and that of flax was attempted, but without success, though 

 enforced by law. 



The legislature at that time endeavored to execute, by means 

 of penalties, those rational improvements which have since 

 been fostered by bounties, or, what is better, pursued from the 

 common motive of self-interest. The breeding of horses was 

 now much encouraged. To the passion of the age, and the 

 predilection of the monarch for splendid tournaments, may be 

 attributed the attention bestowed upon a breed of horses of a 

 strength and stature adapted to the weight of the complicated 

 panoply with which the knight and his courser were both 

 invested. Statutes of a singular nature were enacted, allotting 

 for deer parks* a certain proportion of breeding mares, and 

 enjoining, not the prelates and nobles only, but those whose 

 wives wore velvet bonnets, to have horses of a certain size for 

 their saddle. The legal standard was fifteen hands in horses, 

 thirteen in mares, and " unlikely tits " were, without distinc- 

 tion, consigned to execution. James the Fourth of Scotland, 

 with more propriety, imported horses from foreign countries, in 

 order to improve the degenerate breed of his own. The culti- 

 vation of grasses, for their winter provender, was still unknown, 

 nor were asses propagated in England till a subsequent period. 



The first English treatise on husbandry now appeared, written 

 by Sir A. Fitzherbert, Judge of the Common Pleas. It is enti- 

 tled "The Book of Husbandry," and contains directions for 

 drainage, clearing and enclosing a farm, and for enriching and 

 reducing the soil to tillage. Lime, marl, and fallowing are 

 strongly recommended. The landlords are advised to grant 

 leases to farmers, who will surround their farms, and divide 

 them by hedges into proper enclosures ; by which operation, he 

 says, " If an acre of land be worth sixpence before it is enclosed, 

 it will be worth eight pence by reason of the compost from the 

 cattle." Another reason is, that it will preserve the grain with- 

 out the expense of a herdsman. From the time of the appear- 

 ance of this work, in 1534, Harte dates the revival of husbandry 

 in England. "The Book of Surveying and Improvements," 

 by the author of the "Book of Husbandry," appeared in 1539. 



