AGRICULTURE IN BRITAIN. 435 



or plow-gears, in time of tilling, or trees and grain, should suf- 

 fer death." Several acts of parliament were made, to protect 

 farmers from petulant tithe-gatherers ; the proper times of notice 

 were herein pointed out, and liberty was given to the tiller of 

 the land to proceed in his work, if this notice were neglected. 



Great attention was still paid to the breeding of horses in 

 England ; but, during the reign of Elizabeth, it was found neces- 

 sary to lower the standard appointed by Henry VIII. for stallions, 

 from fourteen hands to thirteen. This modification, however, 

 was only to take place in the counties of Cambridge, Huntington, 

 Northampton, Lincoln, Norfolk, and Suffolk. No stallion of 

 less height could be turned out on commons, in forests, etc., for 

 fear of deteriorating the breed. Harrison extols the height and 

 strength of the English draught-horses. " Five or six of them," 

 he says, " will with ease draw three thousand weight for a long 

 journey." An English traveller, who visited Scotland in 1598, 

 observed a great abundance of all kinds of cattle, and many 

 horses ; not large, but high-spirited and patient of labor. Great 

 care, indeed, was taken by the English, while the kingdoms were 

 separate, to prevent the Scots from improving their breed. It 

 was even made felony to export horses thither from England. 

 This unneighborly prohibition was answered by a reciprocal 

 restriction, in 1567, as to the exportation of Scottish horses: 

 but France rather than England seems to be aimed at by that 

 statute. One circumstance, pointed out by a curious antiquary, 

 is a convincing proof of the modern improvement in the breed. 

 For many years past eight nails have been used to each horse's 

 shoe in the north. Six used to be the number. The proper 

 season for turning horses to grass was thought a consideration 

 worthy the attention of the Scottish government, avowedly to 

 prevent the waste of grain. All horses were, therefore, ordered 

 to be put to grass from May 15 to October 15, on pain of for- 

 feiting each horse, or its value, to the king. 



In England, the vine continued to be cultivated for wine, but 

 not generally, for the vineyards of Lords Cobham and William 

 of Thames are pointed out by Barnaby Googe as eminently 

 productive. It is probable that this branch of culture declined 

 with the suppression of the monasteries, and the more general 

 culture of barley ; as farmers and others would soon find that 



