ARTHUR YOUNG 191 



parison of the old and new husbandry.' It is said that though 

 he really understood the theory and practice of farming he 

 failed utterly in small economies. He was also far too vivacious 

 and fond of society for the monotonous work of the plain 

 farmer. At the same time his failures gave his observant mind 

 a clear insight into the principles of agriculture. He was 

 indefatigable in inquiries, researches, and experiments ; and the 

 best proof of the value of his works is that they were trans- 

 lated into Russian, German, and French. He tells us in the 

 preface to Rural Economy that his constant employment for the 

 previous seven years, ' when out of my fields, has been register- 

 ing experiments.' His pet aversions were absentee landlords, 

 obsolete methods of cultivation, wastes and commons, and small 

 holdings (though towards the end of his life he changed his 

 opinion as to the last) ; and the following, according to him, 

 were the especially needed improvements of the time : — 



The knowledge of good rotations of crops so as to do away 

 with fallows, which was to be effected by the general use of 

 turnips, beans, peas, tares, clover, &c., as preparation for 

 white corn ; covered drains ; marling, chalking, and claying ; 

 irrigation of meadows ; cultivation of carrots, cabbages, pota- 

 toes, sainfoin, and lucerne ; ploughing, &c., with as few cattle 

 as possible ; the use of harness for oxen ; cultivation of madder* 

 liquorice, hemp, and flax where suitable.' Above all, the 

 cultivation of waste lands, which he was to live to see so 

 largely effected. 



There was little knowledge of the various sorts of grasses 

 at this time, and to Young is due the credit of introducing the 

 cocksfoot, and crested dog's tail. 



In 1790 he contemplated retiring to France or America, 

 so heavy was taxation in England. ' Men of large fortune and 

 the poor', he said, in words which many to-day will heartily 



' In 1726 Bradley had urged the use of liquorice, madder, woad, and 

 caraway as improvers of the land in the Preface to the Country Gentle- 

 man. 



