Agricultural Statistics 



132 



latter date the ploughs of the sokemen have been 

 added in brackets the average acres per villein 

 plough (including work on demesne) being 64. 



Now it would seem to be an extremely obvious 

 rule that as folk increase more food is required, population 

 and consequently more land tilled and ploughs 

 used, but this simple fact would appear to have 

 escaped the attention of philosophers : an argu- 

 ment based on the theory that because in certain 

 Manors in 1222 a mixture of tenants holding by 

 rent and villein services cultivate X acres, their 

 predecessors in 1086 also arated the said X acres, 

 and that therefore the acreage per plough in 1086 

 may be discovered by dividing the X acres of 1222 



*r 125-28, LIBER NIGER DE MON. SANCT. PETRI DE BURGO. 



N.B. The 6,524 acres is obtained by adding | of the work on demesne to the tenants' 

 acres, as the demesne is counted as but one ploughing according to Sir Walter de 

 Henley, in a 3-course shift each acre had * ploughings : the demesne arable of 1321, is 

 of course but an indication of same in 1125, liable to increase or diminution in 1321 are 

 460 ac. ar. at le Bigginge under Oundle, 260 being frisca. 



