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The Country Gcntleniaiis Magazine 



MACHINERY AND LAliOl'RERS' WAGES. 



When Mr Bacon wrote, steam thrashing-machines 

 were considered a novelty, now there is scarcely a 

 horse machine or flail in the county, the whole of the 

 thrashing being done by steam. Recently a few steam 

 ploughs have found their way into our county, but 

 they are not likely to make much progress in the 

 cultivation of light land unless the cost can be reduced. 

 Reaping and mowing machines have become very 

 general within the last ten years, and the pre- 

 judice that once existed against the introduction of 

 these and similar machines seems fortunately dying 

 out amongst the labouring classes. And so it ought, 

 for all farm machinery lightens the labourer's excessive 

 toil, and there are not a sufficient number of hands to 

 perform all the work of the farm at the proper seasons 

 by the old-''ashioned means. But it is a curious fact, 

 supported by the unanimous testimony of all my 

 correspondents, that notwithstanding all this machin- 

 ery, the increase of the expenditure for manual labour, 

 on arable land, ranges from 15 to 20 per cent., and 

 is generally as much as the rent of the farm, ^•arying 

 from 25s. to 35s. an acre, and in my own case 

 exceeds 40s. 



I'he wages of the agricultural labourer have also in 

 the same time been raised by nearly two shillings per 

 week, and it is quite certain they will not perform the 

 same amount of work on this increased pay. This is 

 easily proved by comparing the price of piece-work 

 with what it was a few years ago, but as the agricul- 

 tural labourer has already formed the subject of two 

 separate papers, I will not venture any further remarks 

 on the subject, beyond expressing my thanks to you, 

 Mr President, for the sound and practical advice you 

 offered in summing up the discussion on Saturday. 

 You stated, sir, that in your opinion one great reason 

 for the unsatisfactory condition of the labouring popu- 

 lation was their ignorance oi political econoHiy, and 

 the chief hope you had of any improvement was their 

 being taught the ground work of this great science. 

 In that I most cordially agree, for I protest a"-ainst 

 the partial application of scientific theories to agri- 

 culture. Hitherto political science has been applied 

 only so far as it favours the consumer. You have 

 exposed our agricultural produce to the competition 

 of the cheap labour of the world, and to success- 

 fully hold our own, we must have cheap labour too. 

 In my small way I have done what I can to improve 

 the condition of the agricultural labourer ; and thoufrh 

 I am ignorant of science, I believe my ideas are 

 closely allied to sound political economy. I contend 

 that the price of labour must in a great measure de- 

 pend on supply and demand. In seasons of great 

 mercantile activity our young labourers migrate by 

 scores and hundreds to the north and to London, 

 without the aid of any registration societies, for our 

 great employers of labour have agents all over the 

 country always looking out for strong active hands. 

 Even our old labourers are not ignorant of the rate 

 of wages paid elsewhere, but they know that high 



wages invariably mean longer hours, more work, and 

 expensive living. Political economy would also tell 

 the agricultural labourers that the way to raise their 

 condition is not by combining together to do as little 

 work as they can in a day, but to improve the quality 

 of their work, and so earn more wages. But to tell 

 us farmers that we must give more wages in order to 

 make the men do more work is about as reasonable 

 for me to go to a merchant and complain of his oil- 

 cake being exceedingly bad, and when he says that is 

 the best he can afford at the price, I should, in order 

 to encourage him to supply a better article, give him 

 5s. per ton more for his adulterated cake than I could 

 buy it for elsewhere. I believe that every young 

 agricultural labourer has the means of acquiring the 

 most perfect independence, but he must leam to rely 

 on his own industry, skill, and frugality, and not upon 

 charity, an easy going master, or the jwrish, for his 

 support. 



LE.^SES, RENTS, ETC. 



Leases have not increased. There may be a few- 

 more agi-eements for twelve or sixteen years, 

 determinable every fourth year, but T fear that the 

 great bulk of the land in East Norfolk, and indeed in 

 many parts of the West also, is held from year to year, 

 subject only to a six months' notice to quit. There is 

 also no recognised system of tenant-right, which is 

 common in Lincolnshire and in some other parts of 

 England, but on a few estates some liberal clauses are 

 inserted in the agreement, securing to the out -going 

 tenant certain payment for his unexhausted improve- 

 ments. There are several estates which are farmed 

 by the same families for generations without any sort 

 of agreement, and on those estates the rents seldom 

 vary. The farms are in excellent order, money is in- 

 vested by the tenant as if he had the longest lease, 

 and the most excellent understanding and the most 

 perfect harmony prevail between the owner and occu- 

 pier of the soil. It is indeed delightful that this mutual 

 confidence should exist; it is the natural pride of some 

 of our aristocracy and those who farm under them, 

 but however well founded and laudable this feeling 

 may be, the death of either party may quite alter it, 

 and to say the least of it, it is an unbusiness-like way 

 of letting land. 



The rent of land has risen during the past twenty- 

 five years from lO to 20 per cent, in the West, and 

 from 5 to 15 in the East division of the county. The 

 tithes that were not commuted in 1843 have since been 

 apportioned, and thus one great hindrance to improved 

 farming and a constant source of ill-feeling between 

 the parson and the farmer has been got rid of. The 

 assessment of the county to the old property or great 

 war tax was ;^i, 439,977 ; 'n 1S43 the sum was 

 ^^1,945,558; and last year it amounted, ujion schedule 

 A, to ;^2,395,362. The county rate assessment is 

 ;Ci,99i,676. Poor's-rates do not seem to vary much. 

 Some years previous to Mr Bacon's report it was com- 

 mon for these rates to reach ^^350,000, but they 



