4.1 how far did agricultural techniques and investment impact on the economy? Flashcards
8 themes as to how far did agricultural techniques and investment impact on the economy?
new crops enclosure farming techniques water meadows specialised farming growth if employment capital investment national markets
4 changes to agriculture
new crops
enclosure
farming techniques
water meadows
changes - new crops
- artichokes
- asparagus
- clover (nitrogen rich so helped provide nutrients for soil)
impact of new crops
development of market gardens
changes - enclosure
common medieval practice
scattered holdings -> enclosed blocks of fenced of land
single tenant / landowner
separate pastures for animals
impact of enclosure
crop production not unnecessarily duplicated
fewer rivals
improved efficiency
changes - farming techniques
modernized under tudors (this process continued under stuarts) increased literacy levels = yeomen used books to aid farming techniques improvements in crop rotation (1420: 7 million acres farmed, 3 million left fallow, 1700: 9 million farmed, 1.8 million left fallow) irrigation improved (often carried out by dutch immigrants)
impact of new farming techniques
awareness
-use as much land as possible
-crops should be selected based in soil
can now experiment with crops (tried potatoes and a new type of frost resistant turnips)
changes - water meadows
had existed for 100 years pre-1625
streams regulated by gates and dams to gently cover a field
soil always damp thererore chances of flood reduced
impact of water meadows
expanded hugely over 17th century
short term who benefited and who was negatively effected by changes to agricultural techniques
landowner benefit
-improved efficiency
Peasants negatively effected
-previously could use common land, now enclosed
what changes occurred in growth of specialised farming
realisation could farm suited to the local conditions
introduction of national markets
transport infrastructure improved
impact of specialised farming
national markets
farmers could use their land more appropriately
SE = arable
N and W = livestock
improved economic conditions for many farmers
growth of employment
240,000 in skilled employment by end of period
who was positively effected by specialised farming
improved economic conditions for many farmers yeomen benefited (owned vast amounts of land therefore vast improvement, were also sheltered from a poor harvest so could experiment more) wealthy landowners benefited as easier to hire labourers since many were settled labourers, did not have to contribute to poor rates
who was negatively effected by specialised farming
small farms
rarely made enough to make a substantial profit from a specialised crop
small tenant farming became unsustainable
inflation = real value of wages fell
poor job security (esp if not an apprentice)
richer got richer, same number of labourers, fewer landowners to employ them
capital investment in agriculture - what changes happend
higher gentry and aristocracy invested in large scale modernisation (as yeomen unable to afford large investments)
purchased neighboring farms, enclosed it and invested in new crops
large farms = v. profitable
cheap investment in human capital and working capital (stuff became more affordable)
large farms sold to markets where demand (and prices) were high rather than local markets
counties began to specialize
farm owners began to delegate sections of work out to tenants
-tenants charged high rent rates
-expected to keep buildings, fields, hedges in good condition at own expense
infrastructure improved
impact of capital investment in agriculture
increased food supply
1600= 32% of land in estates bigger than 100 acres
1700 = 54% of land in estates bigger than 100 acres
some farms +500 acres
numerically small farms were still the majority
midlands, east anglia and south east dominated by large farms
in order for tenants to remain in profit, had to specialise to suit conditions = further investment
-landlords gave tenants loans to cover capital investment
who was positively effected by capital investment in agriculture
productivity increased so investors got their moneys worth
farmers could go to markets where they would be paid better prices so made more money
investment in infrastructure so local farmers benefited too
who was negatively effected by capital investment in agriculture
local farmer struggled to compete with larger famrs
rent charged by large farm owners = very high and tenants expected to maintain farm at own expense
due to investment had substantial debt to pay off (this took many families below the poverty line)
what changes occurred to national markets
increased demand for food with increased population
(eg london imports of grain increased from 500,000 quarterrs in 1605 to 1,150,000 in 1661)
towns needed better organised markets
second half of century infrastructure improved
Tunpike Act 1663 - new toll roads
1657 development of stage coach
1675 - first road atlas
end of 17th century Thames, Ouse and Severn dredged to allow water transport
impact of national markets
london thrived
new roads linked towns
road atlas became essential for merchants
dredged rivers = better transport
but national markets didnt dominate until 18th cent (late)
large proportion of farms still supplied local markets
dominance of london not always good as drains resources from south east for example
who benefited from national markets
infrastructure improvements led to lots of development
faster and better links across country
smaller towns now identified more easily (so trade there increased) due to road atlas
scottish lowlands exploited for its fertility
who was negatively impacted by national markets
small villages - who didnt supply major towns or cities
prices for agricultural commodities rose x6
london breweries drove small breweries out of business as they were capable for buying more barley (and would pay more for it)
destroyed the brewing industry in many smaller towns
