discontinued, live stock
diminished; alarming gangs of poachers and other depredators ranged
the country. The loss was greater on arable than on grass land, and
'flock farms' had suffered less than others, though they had begun to
feel it heavily.

All classes connected with the land suffered severely; the landlords
could not get many of their rents; the farmer's stock had depreciated
40 per cent.[553]; many labourers, who during the war had been getting
from 15s. to 16s. a week and 18s. in summer,[554] were walking the
country searching for employment. Many tenants threw up their farms,
and it was often noticed that landlords, 'knowing very little of
agriculture and taken by surprise,' could not manage the farms thrown
on their hands, and they went uncultivated. Some farmers paid up their
rent to date, sold their stock, and went off without any notice;
others, less scrupulous, drove off their stock and moved their
household furniture in the night without settling.[555]

Farmers and landowners were asked to state the remedies required. Some
asked for more rent reduction and further prohibition of import, but
the most general cry was for the lessening of taxation.

A Herefordshire farmer[556] stated that in 1815 the taxes on a farm of
300 acres in that county were:

L s. d.

Property tax, landlord and tenant 95 16 10
Great tithes 64 17 6
Lesser tithes 29 15 0
Land tax 14 0 0
Window lights 24 1 6
Poor rates, landlord 10 0 0
" tenant 40 0 0
Cart-horse duty, landlord, 3 horses 2 11 0
Two saddle horses, landlord 9 0 0
Gig 6 6 0
Cart-horse duty,[557] tenant 7 2 0
One saddle horse, tenant 2 13 6
Landlord's malt duty on 60 bushels of barley 21 0 0
Tenant's duty for making 120 bushels of
barley into malt 42 0 0
New rate for building shire hall, paid by landlord 9 0 0
" " " tenant 3 0 0
Surcharge