Crop Rotation Introduced in Norfolk

Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, popularized the four-field crop rotation system on his Raynham Hall estate in Norfolk after retiring from politics in 1730. The system cycled wheat, turnips, barley, and clover across four fields, eliminating the fallow year used for centuries. Turnips and clover fed livestock through winter, ending the annual autumn slaughter. Increased animal manure returned nutrients to the soil, raising yields and earning Townshend the nickname Turnip Townshend.