British Agriculture. 
289 = 25 
gnano, and nitrate of soda were fully appreciated by those tices, and 
who then used them. Covered buildings and autumn culti- ^t'o"]^'^ tj,^^" 
vation had been introduced. Mr. Hudson of Castleacre, in the introduc- 
Norfolk, tlien manured his land for every crop. In running tion of new 
my eye over the account which I wrote of English agriculture ^y'^''^™^- 
m 1850, I find descripti9ns of good farming in nearly every 
art of the country, the details of which differ very little from the 
ractice of the present day. Mr. Pusey and Sir John Conroy 
Berkshire; Mr. Thomas in Bedfordshire; Mr. Beasley in 
orthampton ; Mr. Paget in Notts ; Mr. Torr in Lincoln ; Mr. 
echi, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, and Mr. Hutley, in Essex ; Mr. 
uxtable in Dorset ; Jonas Webb in Cambridgeshire ; Mr. 
orton in Gloucestershire ; the Messrs. Wells and Outhwaite 
Yorkshire ; Mr. Fleming of Barrochan, Mr. M'Culloch of 
uchness, and Mr. George Hope, in Scotland ; Lord Lucan, 
r. St. John Jeffryes, and Mr. Boyd of Castlewellan, in Ireland, 
nd many others, then carried out the business of farming in a 
anner that would bear favourable comparison with the prize- 
rms of the present year. And, as to breeds of cattle, the 
rothers Colling's and Messrs. Booth's and Mr. Bates's Short- 
orns, George Turner's and the Messrs. Quartley's Devons, Mr. 
akewell's Leicesters, Jonas Webb's Southdowns, are not sur- 
assed by the best of the present day. The change has been 
ot in any considerable progress beyond what was then the 
est, but in a general upheaval of the middling and the worst 
wards the higher platform then occupied by the few. 
Towards this end, but beyond all efforts of the agriculturists Influence upon 
emselves, or of the engineers and chemists who have done agriculture of 
much to aid them in developing the capabilities of the land, prosperiTy of 
s been the influence of the general prosperity and growing the countiy in 
ade and wealth of the country. Thirty years ago, probably of 
ot more than one-third of the people of this country con- and the conse- 
uned animal food more than once a week. Now, nearly all quent increase 
i them eat it, in meat or cheese or butter, once a day. This capital 
vs more than doubled the average consumption per head ; ^^^^^ ° 
id when the increase of population is considered, has pro- 
ibly trebled the total consumption of animal food in this 
luntry. The increased supply has come partly from our own 
'Ids, but chiefly from abroad. The leap which the con- 
niption of meat took in consequence of the general rise of 
ages in all branches of trade and employment, could not have 
■en met without foreign supplies, and these could not 
ve been secured except by such a rise of price as fullv paid 
e risk and cost of transport. The additional price on the home- 
oduce was all profit to the landed interests of this country, and 
now being shared among them, partly in rise of rent, partly in 
Y 2 
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