22 Mfty Years' Progress of British AgricvMure. 
Economy of labour by machines was confined to a general 
use of threshing machinery on all large farms. Turnip-cutters 
were recommended as a saving of one -fourth of the crop when 
consumed in the field, and were coming extensively into use. 
Cake and corn crushers soon followed. But there was then no 
thought of reaping-machines or " reapers and binders,'' which 
are now becoming general. 
In regard to live-stock, the investigations of the Koyal 
Agricultural Society showed that the cost of feeding farm-horses 
varied immensely, as much as 50 per cent, within a few miles, 
from want of knowledge, economy, and care. The earlier 
maturity of certain breeds of cattle and sheep, such as the 
Shorthorn cattle and Leicester sheep, which were fit for the 
butcher a year earlier than most other breeds, was urged upon 
the attention of farmers as enabling them to supply the market 
with the same quantity of meat at 30 per cent, less cost. It 
was felt desirable that an extensive plan of inquiry and experi- 
ment should be encouraged and entered upon as the foundation 
for establishing some regular system. And to this object the 
labours of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, with 
those of the Bath and West of England Society, earlier estab- 
lished, and of local societies in most English counties, have 
since that time been unremittingly directed. 
In Scotland, the Highland and Agricultural Society had 
long been established. The circumstances of that country had 
compelled a more careful personal attention by the landowners 
to the advancement of agriculture than had yet been felt by 
the more wealthy landowners of England. The law had placed 
upon the Scotch landowners the direct liability of finding the 
money for the public establishments of their counties, the 
churches, prisons, and police. They had the determination of 
questions of road-making, and, having to contribute directly a 
large proportion of the county expenditure, they actively con- 
trolled its administration. This brought them into closer 
business contact with the farmers than in England, and recent 
legislation has tended to increase this connection by the prin- 
ciple of imposing all county rates in certain proportions directly 
on landowners and farmers, and giving both a representation at 
the same county or parish board. There is thus a better fusion 
of the two interests than in England, and a readier appreciation 
on the part of the landowner of the outlays requisite on his 
part to enable the tenant to make the moat of the land lie 
farms. 
In Ireland, the relation between landlord and tenant is very 
different from that of England and Scotland. Many of (lie 
