DUKING PRKSS OF ACItR'ULTUKAL WORK. 233 



is against extending compulsion from the age of 13 to 14, as by 

 the Act of 1(S7S. The power of school hoards to (lisi)erse a school 

 for six weeks other than the usual holidays, on account of useful 

 labour, is hardly the benefit intended, and rather ihaii take 

 advantage of this power, a discretionary indulgence is granted in 

 in(li\idual cases to suit the view of tiie eni])loyers. Tt is con- 

 sidered that a deal of nseful work can be done b}- a youngster 

 during four months of the year without nuich interference with 

 an elementary education. But, on the oilier hand, employers and 

 parents cannot be too strict in seeing that nothing but illness or 

 useful work is an excuse during the school age, so that the}' may 

 afterwards be better able to become useful citizens. 



The following fairly represents tlu; lalxmr bill on a farm of 

 nOO acres of arable land, managed on the five course rotation, 

 and cni])loving nine horses:* — 



KolXMlUlll, ...... 



Two IHuuj^limeu, ..... 



Shepherd, ...... 



CatlleiUiiTi, ..... 



Houses, &c., ..... 



Two liuls, constimtly employed, . 

 Eight workers in harvest, from cottages, . 



Do. iit other times, 187 days eacli, al 



Is. 3(1. ]ier day, .... 



Additional iiarvest laljour. — Tliree at £6, lOs. 

 Do. do. Three at £b, 



£450 



If potatoes are extensively grown, there might 

 be ro([uired two at 3s. per day, and four at 

 Is. ()d., fur 20 days, . . . . 12 



£4(57 



The lalionr here represented will at almost all times full}' 

 overtake that required on the holding, and the writer has not yet 

 come in contact with any other system which will com]:)are with 

 the one advocated for cheapness, efficiency, and dependence upon 

 it in time of need. The comfort of the class whose interest is 

 most at stake is anything but despicable, and comes well u]) to 

 the descri]ition perpetuated by Burns in the "Cottar's Saturday 

 Night." 



There are, however, some ilctails requiring a little explanation. 

 The foreman would not work when engaged in oversight; but 

 when the days' workers were either not employed or engaged in 

 piecework — suitable in a greater degree to winter work — he coidd 



* This is considered by the readers too small a labour bill for an ordinarj' farm 

 of 500 acres under the five shift rotation, though with a liijht soil, and under very 

 favourable conditions, it might be possible. — Edilur. 



