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Jethro Tull (agriculturist)
Encyclopedia
Jethro Tull was an English
agricultural
pioneer who helped bring about the British Agricultural Revolution
. He perfected a horse-drawn seed drill
in 1701 that economically sowed the seeds in neat rows, and later a horse-drawn hoe. Tull's methods were adopted by many large landowners, and they helped form the basis of modern agriculture.
, to Jethro Tull, Sr. and Dorothy Buckridge, and baptised there on 30 March 1674. He grew up in Bradfield, Berkshire
and matriculated at St John's College, Oxford
at the age of 17, but appears not to have taken a degree
. He was later educated at Gray's Inn
.
Tull became ill with a pulmonary disorder, and as he went in a search for a cure he travelled Europe he found himself seeking more knowledge of agriculture. Influenced by the early Age of Enlightenment
, he is considered to be one of the early proponents of a scientific
(and especially empirical
) approach to agriculture. He helped transform agricultural practices by inventing
or improving numerous implements.
He married Susannah Smith of Burton Dassett
, Warwickshire
. They settled on his father's farm at Howbery where they were increased by a son and two daughters.
, a device for sowing seeds effectively, in order to implement his ideas on how to sow sainfoin
. Such a device had been suggested by John Worlidge
, by 1699, but there is no evidence that he had built a drill. Tull's machine was probably used by 1701.
Tull also advocated the use of horses instead of oxen and invented a horse-drawn hoe
for clearing weeds, and made changes to the design of the plough
which are still visible in modern versions. His interest in ploughing derived from his interest in weed control, and his belief that fertilizer was unnecessary, on the basis that nutrients locked up in soil could be released through pulverization. Although he was incorrect in his belief that plants obtained nourishment exclusively from such nutrients, he was aware that horse manure carried weed seeds, and hoped to avoid using it as fertilizer by pulverizing the soil to enhance the availability of plant nutrients.
and is buried in the churchyard of St Bartholomew's Church, Lower Basildon
, both in Berkshire
._gravestone.jpg)
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
pioneer who helped bring about the British Agricultural Revolution
British Agricultural Revolution
British Agricultural Revolution describes a period of development in Britain between the 17th century and the end of the 19th century, which saw an epoch-making increase in agricultural productivity and net output. This in turn supported unprecedented population growth, freeing up a significant...
. He perfected a horse-drawn seed drill
Seed drill
A seed drill is a sowing device that precisely positions seeds in the soil and then covers them. Before the introduction of the seed drill, the common practice was to plant seeds by hand. Besides being wasteful, planting was very imprecise and led to a poor distribution of seeds, leading to low...
in 1701 that economically sowed the seeds in neat rows, and later a horse-drawn hoe. Tull's methods were adopted by many large landowners, and they helped form the basis of modern agriculture.
Early life
Tull was born in Basildon, BerkshireBasildon, Berkshire
Basildon is a civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It comprises the small villages of Upper Basildon and Lower Basildon, named for their respective heights above the River Thames...
, to Jethro Tull, Sr. and Dorothy Buckridge, and baptised there on 30 March 1674. He grew up in Bradfield, Berkshire
Bradfield, Berkshire
Bradfield is a small village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The parish also includes the now rather larger village of Bradfield Southend, and the hamlet of Tutts Clump....
and matriculated at St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
at the age of 17, but appears not to have taken a degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
. He was later educated at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
.
Tull became ill with a pulmonary disorder, and as he went in a search for a cure he travelled Europe he found himself seeking more knowledge of agriculture. Influenced by the early Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
, he is considered to be one of the early proponents of a scientific
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(and especially empirical
Empiricism
Empiricism is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily via sensory experience. One of several views of epistemology, the study of human knowledge, along with rationalism, idealism and historicism, empiricism emphasizes the role of experience and evidence,...
) approach to agriculture. He helped transform agricultural practices by inventing
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
or improving numerous implements.
He married Susannah Smith of Burton Dassett
Burton Dassett
Burton Dassett is a parish and shrunken medieval village in Warwickshire. Much of the area is now the Burton Dassett Hills country park. It was enclosed for sheep farming by Sir Edward Belknap at the end of the 15th century....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. They settled on his father's farm at Howbery where they were increased by a son and two daughters.
Inventions
Jethro Tull innovated with the seed drillSeed drill
A seed drill is a sowing device that precisely positions seeds in the soil and then covers them. Before the introduction of the seed drill, the common practice was to plant seeds by hand. Besides being wasteful, planting was very imprecise and led to a poor distribution of seeds, leading to low...
, a device for sowing seeds effectively, in order to implement his ideas on how to sow sainfoin
Sainfoin
Onobrychis, the Sainfoins, are Eurasian perennial herbs of the legume family . Including doubtfully distinct species and provisionally accepted taxa, about 150 species are presently known...
. Such a device had been suggested by John Worlidge
John Worlidge
John Worlidge was a noted agriculturalist. He lived in Petersfield, Hampshire, England.John Worlidge was one of the first British agriculturalists to discuss the importance of farming as an industry...
, by 1699, but there is no evidence that he had built a drill. Tull's machine was probably used by 1701.
Tull also advocated the use of horses instead of oxen and invented a horse-drawn hoe
Hoe (tool)
A hoe is an ancient and versatile agricultural tool used to move small amounts of soil. Common goals include weed control by agitating the surface of the soil around plants, piling soil around the base of plants , creating narrow furrows and shallow trenches for planting seeds and bulbs, to chop...
for clearing weeds, and made changes to the design of the plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
which are still visible in modern versions. His interest in ploughing derived from his interest in weed control, and his belief that fertilizer was unnecessary, on the basis that nutrients locked up in soil could be released through pulverization. Although he was incorrect in his belief that plants obtained nourishment exclusively from such nutrients, he was aware that horse manure carried weed seeds, and hoped to avoid using it as fertilizer by pulverizing the soil to enhance the availability of plant nutrients.
Death
Tull died at Prosperous Farm at HungerfordHungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
and is buried in the churchyard of St Bartholomew's Church, Lower Basildon
Lower Basildon
Lower Basildon is a small village in the civil parish of Basildon, near to Pangbourne, in the English county of Berkshire. It is the location of the parish church of St Bartholomew. The National Trust property, Basildon Park, is just above it....
, both in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Further reading
- Hidden, N. (1989) Jethro Tull I, II, and III, Agric. Hist. Rev., 37 (1), p. 26–35
- Tull, Jethro (1731, 2010) Jethro Tull's Horse Hoeing Husbandry (free googlebooks download)
External links
- Royal Berkshire History: Jethro Tull
- BBC History: Jethro Tull (1674–1741)
- Blue plaque to Jethro Tull in Crowmarsh Gifford
- Horse-hoeing husbandry 4th ed., (1762) from John Adams' library, Internet Archive
- Works by Jethro Tull in the Internet Archive