20 DECLINE OF BRITISH AGRICULTURE 



It will be seen that the total cultivated area crops 

 and grass has changed but little . There was some rise 

 in the early 'nineties ; since that time there has been 

 a small decrease, due in the main to agricultural land 

 being taken for various urban purposes, industrial 



1870 



0-6 



and residential. Latterly there has been no attempt 

 to deal with the considerable area of waste land 

 that lies on the margin of cultivation ; the processes 

 of reclamation that had been steadily going on up 

 to 1892 then ceased in England, and owners have not 

 invested capital in any further winning of unused land 

 for cultivation. 



