Agriculture
- Created by: Tori
- Created on: 02-06-20 10:17
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- Agriculture
- Capital investment in agriculture
- In the early 1600s, population rise and the thus there was a surplus of labour.
- This meant that landowners could increase productivity through the use of additional labour.
- Extra demand for food also made farming more profitable for the landowners.
- However, population stagnation after 1656 reduced the size of the labour market and led to a general rise in wages.
- Thus, landowners looked at better explotation of existing land through captial investment to increase productivity.
- Eg, woodlands were cleared and converted to pasture.
- The largest land clearance took place in the fenlands of East Anglica, where 4,000 Dutch drainage expters were employed to bring the land under culitvation.
- Thus, landowners looked at better explotation of existing land through captial investment to increase productivity.
- This meant that landowners could increase productivity through the use of additional labour.
- In the early 1600s, population rise and the thus there was a surplus of labour.
- Changes in agricultural techniques
- Population stagnation in the mid-17th century drove some farmers to become more efficient.
- eg, by exploring new techniques, along with new crops that offered better profits.
- Improved agricultural techniques included:
- -Floating water meadows to enhance grazing.
- -Improved drainage.
- -Better crop rotation
- -Use of root crops, eg potatos, carrot, turnip.
- -Improved farm equipment
- -Selective breeding of livestock.
- -Increase in the amount of land farmed.
- -More extensive use of manure and fertilisers.
- -Introduction of new ideas and techniques from the Netherlands.
- As a result of changes in agriculture, England stopped being a net importer of grain and became an exporter.
- Population stagnation in the mid-17th century drove some farmers to become more efficient.
- Specialised farming
- The growth of urban employment required the developement of specialised farming to increase the production with less farm labour.
- The developement of specialised farming didn't happen on a systematic basis: there was no agricultural revolution in the 1660s.
- But, the farming ecomony became more efficient.
- The growth of London increased demand.
- It also spurred a more specialised regional farming and commercialisation that helped develope a national market.
- Regional specialisation was part of an emerging national marker and was linked to the georgraphy and climate of England.
- Generally, the north and west (highland) focused on pastoral farming.
- Whereas, the south and east (lowland) focused on arable farming.
- Within this, however, there was further specialisation based on local climate or soil.
- Eg, north-west Norfolk was arable while the south-east was wood pasture.
- Generally, the north and west (highland) focused on pastoral farming.
- Capital investment in agriculture
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