Where there's Muck, there's Brass: the Market for Manure in the Industrial Revolution
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_7E779C9422EF
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Where there's Muck, there's Brass: the Market for Manure in the Industrial Revolution
Journal
Economic History Review
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2007
Volume
60
Number
2
Pages
332 - 372
Abstract
Between 1700 and 1850, English grain yields were substantially higher than those attained in other countries. It is widely believed that yields were constrained by the availability of nitrogen, and that supplies of nitrogen were effectively limited to animal dung produced on the farm. This paper presents the first systematic analysis of off-farm sources of nitrogen, such as urban and industrial waste. We show that the use of off-farm nitrogen was both widespread and intensive by 1700, contrary to the received wisdom. We further argue that there was only modest growth in the use of off-farm nitrogen up to 1850. We explain this pattern of use of off-farm nitrogen by supply and demand factors. We use a new method of estimation to show that the overall impact was to raise wheat yields by a constant 20 per cent throughout the period.
Keywords
Z3, agriculture, renewable resources, extractive industries
Create date
19/11/2007 10:35
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:39