British Agricultural and Industrial Portfolio Guidelines

The Agricultural Revolution was a time period during the British Industrial Revolution where revolutionary

inventions were made to help peasants grow more and better crops. During the agricultural revolution, many new

farming techniques and tools including the four­crop rotation system, the seed drill, and the Rotherham plough

were invented and used to increase the amount of production, and also to make farming much easier than it was

before.

One of the concepts that had impacts on the British Agricultural Revolution is the four­crop rotation system.

Created by Lord Turnip Townshend, the four­crop rotation system is a technique to grow crops without having to

keep the fields fallow for 2 or 3 years because of insufficient nutrients. It consists of crops such as wheat, turnips,

oats or barley, and clover. Lord Townshend was famous for his cultivation of turnips and clover. The purpose of

the four­crop rotation system was to help keep the ground good and nutritious for farming almost all year round,

and to also “rest” the land and improve it by growing other crops on the field during the process of the rotation of

crops. The way the system worked was after wheat, barley or oats are harvested, clover and turnips are planted.

Animals graze on the fields of turnips and clover during the winter,

and their droppings help manure the soil. By this, the nutrients will

be naturally replaced into the soil.

Before the four­crop rotation system was introduced to the British,

they used the an older system called the three year strip rotation of

crops. It was less effective, and required for people in December to

distribute strips of land to each other that were granted by

landowners. One peasant got 30 strips and one strips equaled one

acre. As time passed, these strips got smaller and smaller as they

were distributed among 3 open fields. Peasants got less strips. When

the four­crop rotation was introduced, farmers were able to produce

higher quality food and it also provided a larger supply of food for

the continuously growing population of the community. With this,

Source; http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/IR/003f.html; The four­crop rotation system; Ret.: Nov. 30, 2015

individuals no longer had to find other jobs when it wasn’t harvesting season, and they didn’t have to worry about

the supply of food. According to British Agricultural Revolution (n.d.), “Grain yields benefited from new and

better seed alongside improved rotation and fertility: wheat yields increased by a quarter in the 18th century and

nearly half in the 19th…”. Overall, the four­crop rotation system was very effective and had a great impact on the

individuals and communities during the British Agricultural Revolution.

The seed drill was another invention that had affected the individuals and communities during the British

Agricultural Revolution. It was one of the main inventions by Jethro Tull. The seed drill allowed for seeds to be

easily planted deep into the earth instead of near the top, where the majority were washed away, eaten by birds, or

lost. It worked with a pair of horses pulling on it, and it consisted of rotating drills or runners that would plant

seeds at a set depth. It also allowed for farmers to be able to sow three regular straight rows of seeds. It was easier

to kill weed as well. Jethro Tull created this seed drill because he had thought that less seed would be needed and

production would increase if crops were planted in straight rows that could be weeded. The seed drill is a wheeled

device, with a box containing grain in it. The ratchet would distribute the seeds out

evenly as it is pulled by the horse.Before the seed drill, farmers had to hand distribute

the seeds, and this was less effective. Tull used the idea of “rotary mechanism” to

create the seed drill. The idea of “rotary mechanism” provided inspiration to future

sowing technology. According to Royal Berkshire History (n.d), “‘It was named a drill

because when farmers used to sow their beans and peas into channels or furrows by

hand, they called that action drilling.’ says Tull”. By the 20th century, Tull’s basic

principles in machinery were generally adopted. Thus, Jethro Tull’s seed drill had a

major influence on the British Agricultural Revolution and inspired future mechanic

inventors.

Source; https://www.asme.org/engineering­topics /articles/history­of­mechanical­engineering/jethro­tull ; The seed drill; Retrieved.: Nov. 30, 2015

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British Agricultural and Industrial Portfolio Guidelines

The third concept that impacted the Agricultural Revolution is the Rotherham Plough. The Rotherham Plough was

created by Joseph Foljambe, and later sold off to Disney Staniforth of Firbeck. It’s purpose was to plow land in a

much more effective and easier way for farmers. It turned the soil more efficiently and prepared the soil for

cultivation and sowing the seeds. It is worked with a pair of horses, and was constructed of wood like a standard

plough. However, the fittings and coulter (which is the cutting blade) were made of iron unlike the standard and

traditional plough, making the Rotherham Plough efficient. As the horses draw the plough, a farmer on the other

side works the plough. The Rotherham Plough was lighter than previous ploughs. According to Agriculture during the Industrial Revolution (n.d), the Rotherham Plough was revolutionary between 1750 and 1900, and although there were many iron ploughs, they were not as successful as the Rotherham Plough. The reasons to this

is because the Rotherham Plough was easier to use compared to other ploughs previous to the Rotherham Plough.

It provided an easier, effective, and cheaper way to plow land and eased farming for the British Agricultural

Revolution.

Source; http://www.rotherhamunofficial.co.uk/history/18th/plough.html; The Rotherham Plough; Ret.: Nov. 26, 2015

The British Agricultural Revolution affected individuals as it was a time

period that significantly improved their lifestyles. By innovations such as the

Rotherham Plough, four­crop rotation system, and Jethro Tull’s seed drill,

agriculture was much more easier and effective for farmers. The ideas and

machinery applied to make these innovations soon were adapted and used in

modern machinery. Thus, the British Agricultural Revolution affected

individuals, the community, and the world as it made agriculture easier and

also contributed to the development of machinery.

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British Agricultural and Industrial Portfolio Guidelines

Bibliography

Agriculture during the Industrial Revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from

https://prezi.com/s0bnscmwibms/agriculture­during­the­industrial­revolution/

British Agricultural Revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Agricultural_Revolution

Jethro Tull. (2012, July 1). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from

https://www.asme.org/engineering­topics/articles/history­of­mechanical­engineering/jethro­tull

Rotherham Unofficial. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from

http://www.rotherhamunofficial.co.uk/history/18th/plough.html

The Open Door Web Site : History : The Agricultural Revolution : The Four Field System. (n.d.). Retrieved

November 30, 2015, from http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/IR/003f.html

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