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T H E C O M M O N W E A L T H AND I N T E R N A T I O N A L LIBRARY Joint Chairmen of the Honorary Editorial Advisory Board SIR ROBERT ROBINSON, O.M., F.R.S., LONDON DEAN ATHELSTAN SPILHAUS, MINNESOTA GEOGRAPHY DIVISION General Editor: w. B. FISHER An Agricultural Geography of Great Britain An Agricultural Geography of Great Britain by D. W. GILCHRIST SHIRLAW PERGAMON OXFORD · N E W YORK SYDNEY · PRESS . TORONTO BRAUNSCHWEIG Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall, Oxford P e r g a m o n P r e s s Inc., M a x w e l l H o u s e , Fairview Park, Elmsford, N e w York 10523 P e r g a m o n o f C a n a d a L t d . , 207 Q u e e n ' s Quay W e s t , T o r o n t o 1 P e r g a m o n P r e s s (Aust.) Pty. L t d . , 19a Boundary Street, Rushcutters Bay, N . S . W . 2 0 1 1 , Australia V i e w e g & S o h n G m b H , Burgplatz 1, B r a u n s c h w e i g Copyright © 1966 P e r g a m o n Press L t d . All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Pergamon Press Ltd. First edition 1966 S e c o n d revised impression (in metric units) 1971 Library of Congress Catalog Card N o . 6 5 - 2 9 0 6 9 Printed in Great Britain by Bell & Bain Ltd. T h i s b o o k is sold subject t o the condition that it shall n o t , b y w a y of trade, b e lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise disposed of without the publisher's consent, in any f o r m of b i n d i n g or cover other than that in w h i c h it is p u b l i s h e d . 08 016654 7 (flexicover) 08 016653 9 (hard cover) FOREWORD I N THIS age of specialization, where the trend " to know more and more about less and less " continues, a study which attempts—and in my judgement achieves —a synthesis between the two subjects of agriculture and geography is an admirable counterbalance. Here is a book providing a wealth of knowledge of comprehensive range, yet of valuable factual condensation, which is most timely when planning of a regional character is being further developed. Let the reader but glance at the first paragraph of the author's introduction to Section I for an illustration of the availability of information necessary to a student of agricultural geography. T h e author I know to be an inspired teacher of outstanding ability, thoroughly abreast of scientific research on his subject ; and who appeals still further to me as being as much at home in field and farm work as he is in the lecture room and research laboratory. Within these pages will be found recent historical developments which have led to an agricultural revolution (still proceeding) in the present century, together with up-to-date descriptions of soils, climate, topography, planning and farming systems. A most useful bibliography is provided at the end of each section. I warmly commend this lucid, informative and most readable book. H. The University, Newcastle upon Tyne vii CECIL PAWSON AUTHOR'S PREFACE AGRICULTURE and geography are usually regarded as two separate studies; yet they are both branches of natural science and in many respects they are closely related. Thus the student of geography will sooner or later find himself considering matters essentially agricultural, such as various aspects of land utilization and the distribution of different soils. On the other hand, the student of agriculture will find that agricultural activities are controlled by such factors as relief, soil and climate—all aspects of physical geography. In a sense, therefore, it is perhaps surprising that, though geography is usually considered an integral part of a general education, agriculture is not. In consequenc