Second Agricultural Revolution

  • The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge Advocates the Potato

    The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge Advocates the Potato

    The Royal Society promoted scientific research and practical innovations. It also encouraged the cultivation of the potato as a reliable and nutritious crop. This helped to diversify the British diet and provided a stable food source, thus supporting population growth.
  • Jethro Tull and the Seed Drill

    Jethro Tull and the Seed Drill

    Jethro Tull created a horse-drawn seed drill that planted seeds in neat rows and at the correct depth.
    This proved crop yields and reduced seed waste, thus marking a move toward mechanized agriculture.
  • Charles “Turnip” Townsend

    Charles “Turnip” Townsend

    Townsend was a British agricultural pioneer who promoted the systematic use of turnips and clover in crop rotation. This helped restore soil fertility and supported year-round livestock feeding.
  • Dutch and Rotherham swing (wheel-less) plough

    Dutch and Rotherham swing (wheel-less) plough

    Improved plough designs, making it lighter and more efficient by removing the cumbersome front wheels, allowing a single horse to pull it.
    This increased the ploughing speed and efficiency, enabling more land to be cultivated with less labor.
  • Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation

    Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation

    A rotation system alternating wheat, turnips, barley, and grass. This reduced the need for fallow periods, increased soil fertility, and improved overall farm productivity.
  • Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding

    Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding

    Bakewell selectively bred livestock for desirable traits such as meat quality and size. This greatly improved the quality and productivity of cattle, sheep, and horses.
  • Arthur Young

    Arthur Young

    Agricultural writer and journalist who documented and popularized new farming methods through books and tours. He spread innovative agricultural practices across Britain and Europe.
  • Enclosure Acts

    Enclosure Acts

    A series of parliamentary laws that consolidated open fields and common lands into individually owned plots. They increased efficiency and production but displaced small farmers, leading to urban migration.
  • Land Conversion, Drainage, and Reclamation Programs

    Land Conversion, Drainage, and Reclamation Programs

    Large scale efforts to drain marshes and convert waste or common land into farmland. This expanded arable land and supported agricultural intensification.
  • Development of a National Market

    Development of a National Market

    The growth of roads, canals, and railways connected rural farms with urban centers. This enabled efficient distribution of goods and agricultural surpluses, linking agriculture to industrial growth.