The cultivation of the soil has probably been carried on, to some extent, since the days of the people who made the stone implements, though they doubtless chiefly concerned themselves with the chase. The early inhabitants lived partly on the chalk land and partly on the banks of the rivers. The art of cultivation no doubt spread by degrees amongst the natives, and not only the flat chalk surfaces but even the steep sides of the downs were brought into service, and they may be seen now scored with horizontal terraces in many places, partly the result of cultivation in long strips on the hill side, and partly made intentionally to assist cultivation. Terraces of this kind are found in many parts of England and are known as “linchets” or “lynchets.” They form a marked feature in the landscape, near Compton Beauchamp for instance, and were at one time thought to be old sea beaches, but this was an error; the sea had nothing to do with their formation. They are cultivation terraces in most cases, though in some instances they may be, at least in part, due to landslip or to a natural accumulation of rain wash.

During Saxon times the greater part of Berkshire came under cultivation, and agriculture has ever since been the main industry of our county. The Vale of White Horse and its neighbourhood is one of the most fertile tracts in England, and there is also some rich pasture land on the alluvium by the rivers at Abingdon, Purley, Newbury, Woolhampton, Theale, Reading, and Twyford.

In the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth centuries corn-growing was very profitable, and a great deal of land was laid down in corn, some of it being far from suited to the purpose. In later times the profit on corn has been reduced and some of this land has been turned to other uses or has gone out of cultivation. In 1905 the area in Berkshire devoted to corn was 98,968 acres, and in 1908 the area was 96,169 acres, a reduction of 2799 acres. The reduction was mainly in the crop of wheat, there was only a slight reduction in barley, whilst there was an increase in the amount of oats. The relative amount of wheat, barley, and oats grown in 1908 is shown in the diagram at the end of this volume.

Berkshire is not one of the great fruit-growing counties. In 1908 the acreage returned as orchards was 2942.

The total amount of arable land in the county in 1908 was 179,047 acres. This includes the land under clover, sainfoin, and grasses under rotation 35,760 acres. The area of permanent grass was 175,017 acres, making a total of 354,064 acres under either crops or grass.

At the present time the production of milk is one of the most important industries of the county, the chief dairy district being the northern part and the tracts along the rivers. In 1908 the number of cattle in the county was 48,118. A cheese like single Gloucester is made in the Vale of White Horse.

The number of sheep in Berkshire was returned as 167,413. They do not belong to the breed formerly known as “Berkshire.” This was a large animal with black face and black or mottled legs, which is now replaced by other kinds. The county has long been famous for its pigs, which numbered 26,171 in the year 1908.

In former days the vine was cultivated in Berkshire, and a little vineyard existed as late as the reign of George III outside Windsor Castle and to the east of Henry VIII’s gateway. We also find mention of vineyards at Abingdon, Bisham, Burghfield, and Wallingford.

The number of men engaged in agriculture in Berkshire was 14,918 at the time of the last census.