The land was held mainly in large for definite wages in the factories; in 
blocks by the landlords; on these large addition many emigrated to America. 
holdings the peasants had certain Development of agriculture was slow 
rights. Each family was allowed to during this century, due in a large 
work a definite acreage, paying for this measure to the terrible state of the 
privilege a certain quantity of produce. roads. As a journey of any distance 
When a family grew too large for its was an unpleasant undertaking, travel 
allotted holding, the sons became la- and communication between various 
bourers or craftsmen on the manorial sections of the country was limited ; 
estate. In 1348-9 came the Black this condition naturally hindered any 
Death, which killed between one-third transference or spread of ideas. The 
and one-half of the entire population. improvement of roads was blocked by 
This led to a great scarcity of labour the landholders, who believed that 
and it became necessary to pay cash for road improvement would lead to the 
labour instead of the former practice exploitation of their nearby markets. 
of considering the labour as a part of The heginning of the nineteenth cen. 
the service due the particular landlord. tury was marked by an area of high 
Many landlords were compelled to lease prices, due chiefly to the war with 
portions of the land as it was impos- France. Prices rose because of the 
sible for them to work them owing to continuing growth of manufacturing 
the scarcity of labour and the depletion towns, the reduction of food imports 
of labovr-tenzuts due to the Plague. (which were cut off by the war), 
Laws had been passed by Parliament several years of scarcity and general 
prohibiting the export of grains; this speculation on the part of landholders. 
naturally led to very low prices as any After a few years of high prices de- 
surplus could not be sent out of the pression followed and the agricultural 
country. Imported grain was taxed portion of the country was in serious 
heavily and with the eventual growth difficulties. Many farmers abandoned 
of population the demand increased to their farms and moved to the towns 
such an extent that prices became very. and much agitation arose for Parlia- 
high. This policy of stringent protec- mentary remedies. 
tion was beneficial in several ways; it Even by the middle of the nineteenth 
led to investment in land and assured century agriculture was in a backward 
producers of a good return on their state. Very little machinery was used, 
labour. The enactment of laws such implements were poor ag a rule, and 
as the Corn Laws was possible because the farming itself was not conducted 
the control of the country was entirely on what we now consider to be sound 
in the hands of the landholding class, lines. Gradually, however, improve- 
politically, socially, and economically. ment came about with the ‘develop- 
During the eighteenth century very ment of efficient farm machinery, 
drastic changes occurred which serious- drainage, fertilization, improvement of 
ly affected the agricultural portion of livestock breeds and the following of 
the population. At this time the bulk scientific crop rotations. Through all 
of the people were dependent on agri- of these years the movement of popula- 
culture for their existence so that any tion from country to city continued and 
factor affecting them was of prime im- it is still going on at the present time, 
portance to the country as a whole. THE DRIFT TO THE TOWNS, 
Mechanical inventions and the conge- The reason for the desertion of farms 
quent growth of the factory system led lies in the fact that the wages paid in 
to the springing up of large towns, the country have not been equal to the 
From these centres of industry came a wages paid for the city labour, In 
demand for food. Many small 1arms addition, the social advantages of the 
were consolidated and utilized for the cities, regular hours, less drudgery and 
production of foodstuffs, chiefly graing unlimited means of amusement have 
and meat, for sale in the towns. Small. lead farm labourers and  gmall-farm 
holders and agricultural labourers owners to leave the land and seek 
moved to the towns in order to work urban employment,