60 POJRAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



and guano, that rich material, is imported by shiploads 

 from the most distant seas. Agricultural chemistry is 

 constantly at work to discover either new manures, or 

 which are the best suited for particular crops ; and in 

 place of despising these researches, the farmers encourage 

 them by their active co-operation. In the expenditure 

 of every farm a good round sum figures every year for 

 the purchase of fertilising materials ; the more the farmer 

 can afford to lay out in these, the more does he consume. 

 The sale of these additional manures has given rise to a 

 large trade. 



Land requires not only manure and fertilisers, but it 

 must also be dug, pulverised, levelled, weeded, drained, 

 and worked in every direction, so that the wet may pass 

 through it without lodging ; and be rendered pervious to 

 atmospheric gases, in order that the roots of useful plants 

 may have free scope to strike down and extend them- 

 selves easily. A host of implements have been invented 

 in order to facilitate these various operations. A pretty 

 correct estimate may be formed of the immense import- 

 ance attached to the manufacture of agricultural imple- 

 ments in England, and the great demand for them, by 

 the space they occupied at the Great Exhibition : there 

 were nearly three hundred exhibitors in this class, from 

 all parts of the kingdom, and some among them, as the 

 Garretts and Eansomes in Suffolk, employ thousands of 

 workmen, and every year execute orders to the value of 

 millions of francs. These machines economise labour 

 to a wonderful extent, and supply the place of a large 

 number of hands. 



All these operations and expenses contribute mainly 

 to the production of two cereals barley, from which 

 the national beverage is produced ; and the queen-plant, 

 wheat. 



