I 



CROPS AND THEIR COST 197 



All these evils attending enclosure made many who were 

 eager to benefit by it very chary in commencing it.^ 



Then, as now, one of the commonest errors of farmers was 

 that of taking too much land for their capital ; Young con- 

 sidered £6 an acre necessary on an average, equal to more than 

 £1% to-day ; a sum which few farmers at any time have in hand 

 when they take a farm. As for gentlemen farmers, who were 

 then rushing into the business, they were warned that they had 

 no chance of success if they kept any company or amused 

 themselves with anything but their own business, unless 

 perhaps they had a good bailiff. 



Lime, one of the most ancient of manures, was then the 

 most commonly used in England, 80 to 100 loads an acre 

 being a common dressing, but many farmers were very 

 ignorant of its proper use. Marl, which to-day is seldom used, 

 was considered to last for twenty years, though for the first year 

 no benefit was observable, and very little the second and the 

 third, its value then becoming very apparent. In the last 

 five years, however, its value was nearly worn out. But it was 

 much to be questioned whether marl in its best state anywhere 

 yields an increase of produce equal to that which a good 

 manuring of dung will give.^ Marl was applied in huge quan- 

 tities on arable and grass, and often made the latter look like 

 arable land so thickly was it spread. 



At this date (1770) the average crops on poor, and on good 

 land were ^ : 



On land worth 5 j. an acre : 



"Wheat 12 bushels per acre. 



Rye 16 „ 



Barley 16 „ „ 



Oats 20 „ „ 



Turnips, to the value of ;^i. 

 Clover „ „ 



^ Young, Northern Tour, i. 222. 



'^ Rural Economy^ p. 252. ' Ibid. p. 271. 



