44-4! 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



THE AGRICULTURAL LABOURER, HIS COTTAGE, WAGES, AND ADVANTAGES. 



BLANDFORD FARMERS' CLUB. 



A meeting of the members of this club was re- 

 cently held, Mr. R. Li3\vis, of Ash Farm, pre- 

 sident for the year, in the chair, when Mr. 

 Robert Fowler, of Whitchurch, read the following 

 paper : — 



I have to claim your attention this evening to 

 the subject appointed for discussion, viz., "The 

 Agricultural Labourer, his Cottage, his Wages, and 

 Advantages ;" and when I state, according to Mr. 

 Morley, who has taken great trouble to get at the 

 truth, the agricultural labourers are no less, 

 " speaking in round numbers," than nine hundred 

 and fifty thousand men, assisted by about four 

 hundred thousand women and boys, representing 

 with their families nearly five miUion souls, or 

 about one-fifth of the population of this kingdom, 

 I think you will agree with me, that it is an im- 

 portant subject, and one worthy of our con- 

 sideration. I fear this number is rather decreasing 

 than otherwise, and as they are the most useful 

 class of all human beings, it behoves us to try to 

 find out the cause of this decrease, if it is so, with 

 a view to a remedy ; for it is acknowledged on all 

 hands that the need of their assistance is yearly in- 

 creasing. I know during the last few years much has 

 been done for their improvement. Still much more 

 doubtlessremains tobeaccomplished; and Itrustour 

 devoting this evening to the subject may be the 

 means of furthering their improvement. I think, 

 for instance, if we were to study their little wants 

 more than we do, as a body, it may be the means 

 of drawing them into a closer bond of union with 

 us. If we prove to them by our actions, by our 

 words, and by our manner, that we have their 

 welfare, their interest, and their comfort at heart, I 

 believe it would be the means of inducing them 

 more to study our interest, and to give us their 

 good will, as well as their time and labour. If we 

 have a horse or cow taken ill, we immediately give 

 it our especial care, watch over it, and provide it 

 with whatever necessaries are required. I trust in 

 these particulars our labourers do not fare worse 

 than our stock. If our rich neighbours are ill, we 

 immediately call on them, and enquire after them ; 

 I hope we all do the same with our neighbours 

 the poor labourers, though I must confess I feel 

 myself guilty of some neglect in this particular ; I 

 know I have not done so as often as I should, and 

 this has been brought home to my mind more par- 

 ticularly by your giving me this subject for my 

 consideration. Mr. Seymer mentioned at our last 

 agricultural dinner that the labourers in this part 

 of the country were not so good as in many others, 

 and consequently were not deserving of such good 

 pay. I am sorry to differ from so great an autho- 

 rity; but I must say I believe him to be under a 

 wrong impression, for I consider as good and as 

 well paid labourers are to be found in this county 

 as in any other, and I feel proud of belonging to a 



class second to none in the regard we have for those 

 who are born to earn their bread by the sweat of 

 their brow. We know they are better educated, 

 housed, and paid, than they were some years since, 

 and that gradual improvement on the whole is still 

 going on ; and where such is not the case, I con- 

 sider an immense responsibility rests on the 

 shoulders of both the owners and occupiers of the 

 soil, for on these two classes much of the moral 

 and social position of the labourer depends — a class 

 be it remembered on which rests the very existence 

 of all others, and a very great portion of the com- 

 fort and happiness of mankind. We should be 



" To their faults somewhat blind. 

 And to their wants ever kind." 



I regret that more suitable employment for the 

 females is not to be had in this neighbourhood. 

 Many of us remember when button-making was a 

 good source of income amongst the poor ; four and 

 even five shillings per week were frequently earned 

 by the women at this employment, but it has now 

 entirely disappeared ; bone and pearl buttons are 

 now used in the place of those cotton-worked ones, 

 and unfortunately nothing else has taken its place. 

 Hundreds of women have now little to do but tale 

 beanng, chit chat, and tittle tattling; their children 

 are taken very young to the infant schools, and 

 farm labour is become somewhat distasteful to 

 many of them. It has often occurred to me, if 

 some glover, stocking-maker, or other manu- 

 facturer, requiring the employment of females, were 

 to get up a business in this neighbourhood, what 

 good might thus be done — anythmg in fact that 

 would give the females constant employment, 

 adding to their income, and making them more 

 useful members of society. I will now pass on and 

 call your attention to the education of our poor. 

 And though now the most labourious work is done 

 by the aid of steam, still it has been found that the 

 demand for manual labour does not decrease, but 

 we require it to be more skilled and experienced, 

 for the labourer is at last the great weapon in our 

 hands that has enabled us, by the assistance of 

 steam and improved implements, to bring such 

 large tracts of poor land into cultivation, producing 

 golden treasures instead of remaining a barren 

 waste. The labourer is the great producer of the 

 wealth of a nation, and consequently deserving of 

 as much care and respect as the possessor of it. 

 An honest and industrious labourer, in my opinion, 

 is much more deserving of respect than miserable 

 gentihty, priding itself with having nothing to do. 

 Is not the bu.sy bee that brings honey to the hive 

 deserving more care than the drone that devours 

 it ? Still let due honour be given to those mem- 

 bers of our upper classes who spend their time and 

 wealth for the happiness, comfort, and education 

 of the poor, and many such are to be found in this 



