Question

What were the contributions of Jethro Tull and Charles Townshend, and why were they important?

Answer 1

Tull invented a machine more economically sow seeds and begin an Agricutiral Revolution. This would help to make things more efficient and save time. This would then be built on by the Industrial Revolution later in the 1800s. Townshend would start the idea of 4 area crop rotation. By dividing fields into 4 areas, farmers would grow 3 different crops while leaving 1 field fallow. This would allow the soil to keep from becoming over used. When the same crops are grown in a field and the soil isn't given a chance to recover, the soil nutrients will be depleted or disappear. This leads to poor crop growth or (in the case of the US) a dust bowl.

Answer 2

Both Jethro Tull and Charles Townshend were developers of new agricultural techniques which were major developments in the 18th century agricultural revolution.

Jethro Tull's contribution was the invention of the seed drill, a machine that sows wheat and turnip seed in drills, three rows at a time. This greatly increased crop yields. He also invented other machineries for the purpose of carrying out his system of drill husbandry.


Charles Townshend's contribution was the introduction of the 4 filed crop rotation system, as a replacement of the 3 field crop rotation system. In this system, 1 field was left fallow every year. Due to this new system of crop rotation, the land could be "rested", and also could be improved by growing other crops.