What were the main weaknesses in British agriculture during this period?
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• The agricultural labourer was still badly treated, and there was no serious improvements in their pay, working or living conditions until trade unions developed layer in the century.
• There was still a great deal of conservatism in farming. At the beginning of this period over 20% of the cultivated acreage consisted of units under 100 acres (40 hectares) and there is little evidence of change throughout this period. The farms really suited to the age of ‘high farming’ were over 300 acres and they were less than 30% of the total number of farms. The majority of farms were not suited to the new age, and in many cases it passed them by.
• There was often a poor return on money invested. The Duke of Northumberland spent over £500,000 on improvements in this period and never got more than a 2% return on his capital.
• There was still insecurity of tenure for tenant farmers who cultivated the smaller farms, and therefore had little need to improve the quality of land or their methods. The situation was not confined to the Irish tenant farmer, and a parliament dominated by large-scale landowners, who got their income from tenant farmers, was unlikely to support any major changes. Landlords liked to keep leases short as in the age before the secret ballot they liked to influence their voting behaviour. If they voted contrary to their landlords wishes they could easily be evicted.
• The system of farming had become too dependent on growing markets and rising prices, and was unable to rid itself of the need to grow wheat.
• Farming was still dependent on the weather and heavy rainfall in the early 1860s caused major problems and showed the limitation of the ‘boom’. Much of the boom was dependent on outside factors over which neither Britain nor any of its farmers had any control.

Other Notes in this Category

1. How important were the railways to Great Britain?
2. To what extent was this a boom time for British agriculture?
3. To what extent was this a period of industrial boom?
4. What was the impact of the repeal of the Corn Laws?
5. What were the main developments in agriculture during this period?
6. What were the main weaknesses in British agriculture during this period?
7. Why was this such a period of growth for British industry?

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