1760-1830, Second Phase
Land was reorganised (enclosure) and larger farms developed. 
Different areas of Britain began growing specific crops - know as regional specialization.

1830, Third Phase [Second Agricultural Revolution]
Farmers began using new fertilizers for land.
They use artificial feedstuffs for animals. 
Farmers also improved drainage of their land.
1840-1870, the agricultural economy was very strong.

Main Developments
There were three main developments during this Agricultural Revolution.


1. Four Field System
Viscount Townshend introduced a new method of crop rotation on his farms.
He divided his fields up into four different types of produce.
Wheat in the first field.
Clover (or ryegrass) in the second.
Oats or barley in the third.
In the fourth, turnips or swedes.
The turnips were used as fodder to feed livestock in winter.
Clover and ryegrass were grazed by livestock.
Using this system, he found that he could grow more crops and get a better yield from the land.


 
2. The Seed Drill
Since earliest times seeds had always been sown by hand.
People who worked on the land would walk over the fields randomly scattering handfuls of grain.
1701, Jethro Tull invented a machine which greatly helped to increase the harvest yield by planting seeds in straight lines and at a specific depth.
It consisted of a horse-drawn wheeled vehicle containing a box filled with grain.
There was a wheel-driven ratchet that sprayed the seed out evenly as the Seed Drill was pulled across the field.



3. Selective Breeding of Animals
Robert Bakewell introduced selective breeding programmes to improve the quality of the animals.
Bakewell crossed different breeds of sheep to select their best characteristics.
At the time, this was known as "breeding in and in".
1775, his experiments in selective breeding of sheep produced the Dishley, or New Leicester breed.
In 1769, he produced the Longhorn; a breed
It was a good meat producer but gave a poor milk yield.
Bakewell was also the first to hire his animals out for stud.
Bakewell was one of the first to breed both cattle and sheep for their meat value.
His farm, in Dishley, Leicestershire, became a model of scientific management.
Thomas Coke produced breeds such as the Southdown sheep, Devon cattle and Suffolk pigs.
1710, average weight of shhep was 28 lbs and cattle averaged 370 lbs.
1795, average weight of sheep was 80 lbs and cattle averaged 800 lbs.

Results
New ways of growing crops and breeding animals were also developed.
These changes led to greater food reproduction because crop yields increased.
Wool yield increased due to better care of animals and selective breeding.
More food led to better health.
Better health led to longer life spans.
Population doubled from 5 million to 10 million.
This created a demand for manufactured goods.
This created a need for workers.
Peasants had been turned off their land.
They moved to the cities.
They were looking for work.
They supplied the workforce for the Industrial Revolution.

Bibliography
"Agricultural Revolution." SchoolHistory.co.uk 2 Oct. 2006. 8 Jan. 2008. http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/year9links/agricultural_summary.shtml.

Greenblatt, Miriam, and Lemmo, Peter. Human Heritage A World History. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill, 2001.

"Improvements of Farming in the 18th Century." The Open Door Web Site.  8 Jan. 2008.  http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/IR/005.html.

"The Four Field System." The Open Door Web Site.   8 Jan. 2008. http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/IR/003f.html.

Images
Great Inventors of the Industrial Revolution. http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/inventor/ag3.htm.

The Seed Drill. The Open Door Web Site. http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/IR/004f.html.