AGRICULTURE 



from 2s. 6J. to \s. 6d. in the towns, on rentals reduced from one-third to 

 one-fourth. 



Numerous agricultural societies had now been formed, some most 

 thorough agricultural experiments had been conducted, and great progress 

 had been made in improving methods of cultivation and in introducing new 

 varieties of crops, especially of cereals. 



Great agricultural improvers like the Culleys, the Collings, and other 

 prominent Durham farmers, made large profits at the beginning of this 

 period, as, while rents and cost of labour were still low, their improved 

 methods of farming and the rising prices of agricultural produce gave them a 

 handsome return for their skill and energy. These returns, however, were 

 considerably reduced when a balance was established between rent, labour, 

 and the farmer's profits. 1 



James Caird, in English Agriculture in 18501, at a time of agricultural 

 depression records that on the heavy farms of the county a three-course 

 rotation was being followed, viz.: i. fallow; 2. wheat; 3. one-half oats 

 and one-half clover. Most of the fallow was uncropped, so that green crops 

 were limited on these soils. Wheat was the main source of income, and 

 lime the only manure purchased. Rents varied from i u. to i6s. an acre, 

 and tithe * and rates were about 3^. 6d. an acre. This system had considerably 

 reduced the average number of bushels produced by the cereal crops. 

 On the loams and lighter soils the four-course system was practised, and 

 more of the fallow break was devoted to green crops, while in some 

 cases the Northumberland five-course system was adopted, in which the 

 ' seeds ' were left down for two years. A good deal of the heavy land 

 was drained by the landlords, who charged the tenants five per cent, annually 

 on the outlay. On Lord Ravensworth's well-managed estate to the south 

 of Newcastle rents varied from 2 to 3 an acre. Dairy farming for milk 

 supply was already greatly developed in this populous district, and a 

 cow's produce was reckoned to be worth 20 a year. The home farms of 

 the large estates were all well farmed. Lord Durham bought Highland 

 heifers, eighteen months old, each autumn at 50*. a head, so that store stock 

 was evidently low in price. Shorthorns were the principal cattle of the 

 county, but the best herds were now on the Yorkshire side of the Tees. On 

 most farms the housing accommodation for live stock was still inadequate. 



Dr. Bell, in a paper in the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal (or 1856, 

 recorded that a further 25,000 acres of common land had been reclaimed 

 since 1809, which included 9,000 acres at Middleton-in-Teesdale, and the 

 Eggleston Moor (6,000 acres). He estimated that the arable land of the 

 county was then let at an average of igs. and the old grass-land at 15*. an 

 acre. By this time the annual meetings of the Durham Agricultural Society 

 had become important, and greatly encouraged the breeding of farm live 

 stock ; many good farm horses were reared, chiefly of the Cleveland breed, 

 while a considerable number of blood horses and hunters were bred. The 



1 At an example of the remarkable development of this period it may be noted that the Messrs. Culley, 

 who migrated from Durham to Northumberland in 1767, entered the farm of Wark, near Coldstream, in 

 1786, the area being 1,200 acres, and the rental 800. In 1812 the farm was let at },too ! Roy. jfgric. 

 Sic. Journ. (1841), p. 159. 



'The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 had reduced this to a charge fluctuating with the price 

 of corn. 



2 36l 46 



