London: [N.P. but] printed by W. Bulmer and Co. and sold by G. and W. Nicol, G.G. and J. Robinson and J. Debrett, 1801. First edition of this important piece of agricultural history. Presented in an attractive full leather binding, with gilt decoration to the boards and spine. Titles to a burgundy spine label. (This is somewhat abbreviated stating "Marsh on Inclos"). The binding is in excellent, very slightly rubbed condition. Inside, there are attractive gilt edges, and blue end papers. One part of the inside binding has been re-pasted down. The pages are clean and tidy throughout, with just a touch of darkening. Owner's ex-libris to the top of the title page. We have been unable to identify this. A technical and legal analysis of the the "enclosure movement." began in England in the 16th century. It gained momentum in the 18th century, before accelerating decisively with the enactment of The Inclosure (Consolidation) Act of 1801 (41 Geo. 3. c. 109). This legislation allowed land owners to enclose their land without having to obtain the prior authorisation of parliament. This caused many working poor people utter destitution, as they lost the right to work common and other lands without title deeds. On the other hand, the enclosures led to productivity gains, which some historians see as a necessary precursor of the Industrial Revolution. The title tells of two different forms of agricultural land being discussed. Commonable lands: Land privately owned but to which others enjoyed the legal right of access, used for planting crops, grazing livestock, gleaning, foraging, collecting wood and turf for fuel. The second were Intermixed lands: These were the classic open-field strips, where individual farmers held scattered and interleaved parcels across shared fields (one of the oldest features of English agrarian organisation). Consolidating and enclosing these was the agricultural reformer's central ambition. William Marshall (1745–1818) was one of the two leading writers on eighteenth-century English agriculture, the other being his great rival Arthur Young. His focus was primarily on improving productivity in agriculture, and hence he was firmly in favour of enclosure. 88 pages. 21cm x 13cm. A rare work, we can find none for sale at the time of cataloguing, and no auction records. Conforms to WorldCat / OCLC: 47841970