ABSTRACT
The chapter examines number of major agricultural innovations introduced before 1914 in order to illustrate how agricultural progress in Europe and elsewhere during this period. Turning to examine the diffusion of some of the major agricultural innovations, the chapter finds that the spread of some new crops was hindered more by the distrust of things new than by any economic or technical obstacle. The fragmentation of the land unit also encouraged the introduction of the potato since it gave a high yield per acre. The introduction of the scythe and heavy hook, which had the advantage of low cost, was partly responsible for the slow spread of reaping machines in Europe. Other factors which prevented the use of these machines included the limitations imposed on their use by farm layout and terrain, and the fact that the effectiveness of the mechanical reaper in saving labour was greater on larger farms and on higher-yielding land.
