The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-12-24
AGRIcULTURE-M. 2.
IT'S EABLY HISTORY IN ENGLAND.


IT'S EARLY HISTORY IN ENGLAND.
We have not the least reliable trace
of English Agriculture beyond the
period when the Romans invaded that
island. When Caesar arrived in Eng
land, about 55 years B. c.. he described
the contii, or inhabitants, of Kent and
the Bege inhabiting the counties of
Somerset, Wits and Hants, as much
more advanced than the rest of the
people, in civilized life. They culti-
waited the soil; employed mari as a
manure stored their corn unthrashed,
and freed it from the chaff only as
their daily demands required. The
interior inhabitants lived chiefly upon
milk and flesh, being clothed and fed
by the produce of their herds. q The
country, adds Caesar, !" is well peo-
pied, and abounds in buildings resem-
bling those of the Gauls, and they
have great abundance of cattle" (Pli-
ny 27; ~ Cicero, in one of his let
tiers, says: "There is not one seruple
of money in the island, nor any hopes
of booty, but in slaves; Glib. 4 ep.
179 description that industry and
intelligence has centuries since re-
moved.
The first steps toward improvement
were owing to the Romans. Rutitius
correctly said that "Rome filed the
world with her legislative trinmphs,
and caused all to live in one common
union, blending discordant nations in
to one country; and, by imparting
companionship in her own acquire
ments and laws, formed one great city
of the world" Agrieola was the
chief instrument in imparting to the
Blitons the improved arts and civili-
zation of the Romans. He held forth
the bats of pleasure, and encouraged
the natives to build temples, courts of
Justice and commodious dwellings
By, degrees, the charms of vice gained
admission to the hearts of the people !;
baths, porticos and elegant banquets
grew into vogue, and the new man
nefs which, in fact, served only to
sweeten slavery, were, by the unsus-
pecting Britons, called the arts of
polished humanity. CTacitus Agrico-
la, 21.) Thus eloquently does Tacitus
describe the diffusion of the Roman
arts and customs among the early ma
tives of England: agriculture was
one of those arts in which they SO
rapidly improved, as is attested by
the fact that in the fourth century the
Emperor Julian exacted as tributary
a vast amount of their corn, and at
one time sent.six hundred large ships
to convey it away" off" says Glib
bon, 1--WE compute these vessels to
convey only seventy tons each, they
were capable of exporting 10000
quarters e bushels to the quarter
s(Dec. and Fall of Rom. Emp. C. XIX
Possessing this improved state OF
agriculture, England was successively
subdued by the Saxons, the Danes
and the Normans; but as all these
came to improve their fortunes and
secure the comforts of life, agricul-
ture continued to flourish, but her
operations were interrupted, her pro-
ducts destroyed, whichever direction
swept the tide of war; but no sooner
was peace restored than the inhabit-
ants, so shortly since in mortal COM
bat, laying aside all deadly hates and
hostile feuds, united their knowledge
in the improvement of the country
and the encouragement of the art OF
agriculture, upon which all nations OF
the earth for their existence do much
depend.