Tlic Farm Servmits in the NoriJi of Scotland 



95 



servants are a very intemperate class — the 

 most devoid of sobriety in existence. Such, 

 however, is not the case. Granted that the 

 decorum at a feeing market in these northern 

 counties is generally far from what it should 

 be, we have no hesitation in saying that the 

 quantity of spirituous drink consumed in the 

 course of a year by the farm-servants and 

 country labourers, is less than is imbibed by 

 almost any other class. 



The drunkenness and indecency manifested 

 in the half-yearly markets is only very parti- 

 ally attributal)le to a keen appetite for the 

 intoxicating liquid. It is more due to an in- 

 judicious mode of demonstrating friendship, 

 an unwise neglect of regular food, an un- 

 guarded mixture of drink and an ill-seasoned 

 system to cope with liquor. When old 

 friends meet in the market, a "gill" or a 

 " glass" is readily indulged in. There is a 

 stupid sort of notion among the farm-servants 

 that the party who does not drink his friend's 

 health in a full glass of whisky or a tumbler- 

 ful of ale, as the case may be, does not wish 

 him well. If the market is held close to a 

 railway station, as the most of them are, the 

 greatest amount of intemperance is generally 

 displayed there, among the crowds that 

 gather to return home per train. The con- 

 duct of some of the ploughmen in the market 

 towards the girls is extremely rude, yet it is 

 astonishing the toleration with which the 

 dam.sels appear to receive the caresses thus 

 so unblusliingly bestowed. A considerable 

 portion of the illegitimacy, so high in these 

 north-eastern rural parishes, is traceable to 

 feeing market and term associations. Though, 

 all things considered, we should like to see 

 an abolition of feeing markets, we are 

 convinced it would be impolitic to annihilate 

 them abruptly. The agencies which it is in- 

 tended should take their place, should be 

 set on foot in the various parishes, and, if 

 properly conducted, a few years' experience 

 will so materally diminish the attendance 

 that the markets will be easily extinguished. 

 It is almost unnecessary to add that the 

 moral and economic aspects constitute our 

 primary objection to the feeing markets; while 

 we think indifferent servants with a tolerably 



good appearance obtain, by this system, an 

 undue advantage with better men, which 

 could be avoided by a more closely scruti- 

 nized system. Monthly engagements have 

 been advocated. The principal objection is 

 the inconvenience that might arise to farmers 

 by servants leaving them in the middle of 

 harvest, or some such busy time. This we 

 think could be got over by a fortnight's notice 

 on either side being rendered imperative. 

 The practical result of monthly engagements 

 would be that good servants would get into 

 the service of good masters, and fhe skim of 

 both classes would ultimately get together, 

 which is just as it ought to be. 



So much for the various modes of engage- 

 ment. Now for a glance at the different sys- 

 tems of payment. Wages have increased 

 very little for several years until last Whitsun- 

 day, when a uniform rise of from 8 to 15 per 

 cent, has been given effect to. Male servants 

 on the farm have been very well paid in the 

 north-eastern counties of Scotland for at 

 least a half score years. There is probably 

 no part of the United Kingdom where farm 

 labourers are better paid, yet even in these 

 counties the servants are beginning to agitate 

 for increased pay. Among other concessions, 

 a good ploughman receives from ^^20 to 

 p^2 5 a-year with rations. If accommodated 

 in the kitchen, he has his meals and that 

 amount of money ; if in the bothy, he has the 

 money and 63^ bolls oatmeal, with an ordin- 

 ary allowance of milk, potatoes, and fire, and 

 generally the services of a female in the pre- 

 paration of food, &c.; and if lodged in cot- 

 tages on or near the farm, the employes have 

 most of the bothy perquisites, but their wages 

 are reduced some ^6 a-year for the keep of 

 a cow, with a few more pounds deducted for 

 the accommodation furnished for the plough- 

 man's family in the cottages. The total 

 earnings of good ploughmen and cattlemen 

 may be safely set down at from ^35 to ^^45 

 a-year according to qualifications. We would 

 recommend that servants be paid monthly, 

 and that those who are not boarded in the 

 flirm kitchen should receive money in lieu 

 of meal, «S:c. More frequent payments would 

 enable them to keep out of debt in a large 



