22 The Development of British Agriculture 



depression. The early period was one of great activity, 

 and farmers became rapidly rich and wages advanced. 

 Wheat fetched as much as 126,5. per quarter, and 

 farmers began to "use improved implements. It was 

 then that iron ploughs were first introduced. The 

 Corn Laws were repealed in 1846, and the following 

 period of twenty years was one of great agricultural 

 prosperity which had followed a time of great 

 depression. 



A long period of agricultural adversity ensued, and 

 lasted into the twentieth century. Year by year less 

 wheat was grown, and while over 3,000,000 acres grew 

 wheat in 1880, only 2,170,000 were so cultivated in 

 1915. Owing to bad seasons, the decrease in prices of 

 agricultural produce, and other causes, there was a 

 considerable movement of the rural population into 

 towns. This movement has not yet ceased, and the 

 problem to solve is what inducements should be 

 offered to agricultural labourers to remain on the land. 



The Board of Agriculture and the corresponding 

 Boards for Scotland and Ireland are now at work to 

 stimulate our farmers in all their work. Reference will 

 be made in another chapter to the work of these Boards, 

 but here we may remark that great improvements are 

 being made in agricultural practice and in the develop- 

 ment of the live stock industry. 



The latest advances in agriculture are mainly 

 due to chemical science and machinery. The chemist 

 has been a great benefactor to the farmer by the gift 

 of artificial manures, by the analysis of artificial food, 

 and by the examination of soils. Many of our counties 

 have their own agricultural colleges where the scientific 

 pursuit of agriculture in all its branches is encouraged, 



