# Agriculture

## Definition

The sector of production concerned with the cultivation of land and the raising
of crops and livestock. Smith argues that agriculture does not admit of as many
subdivisions of labour as manufactures, because seasonal rhythms prevent workers
from specialising year-round in a single task. As a result, agricultural
productivity improves less dramatically with the division of labour than
manufacturing productivity.

## Source Chapter

Book I, Chapter 1: "Of the Division of Labour"

## Context

Agriculture is introduced as a counterpoint to manufactures. Smith notes that
the ploughman, harrower, sower, and reaper are often the same person, and that
this is why even rich countries do not surpass poor countries in agricultural
output as dramatically as in manufacturing output.

## Economic Domain

Production

## Smith's Original Wording

"The nature of agriculture, indeed, does not admit of so many subdivisions of
labour, nor of so complete a separation of one business from another, as
manufactures."
