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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



are too frequently the cause of much crime and in- 

 iquity. I consider to every hundred acres of land 

 there should be at least two cottages, and frequently 

 three would not be too many, and to each cottage 

 from thirty to forty perches of land, and then allot- 

 ments would not be necessary. They should also 

 have a fuel-liouse, and pig-stye. It gives me plea- 

 sure to see a poor man with a pig always in his 

 stye. Before I pass on to the last part of my sub- 

 ject, let me ask landowners to take this matter into 

 their serious consideration. In most cases they 

 will find their tenantry well pleased and ready to 

 assist them, that young men may find it in their 

 power to get a home for the object of their choice, 

 and not be driven from their parish, and thus 

 allowed to diminish amongst us, for they are the 

 arm of our strength both in peace and at war, and 

 are all required in this time of great agricultural 

 advancement. I will now proceed to consider the 

 wages and advantages of the agricultural labourer. 

 It is calculated that one labourer is required to 

 every thirty acres of land, with equal portion of 

 arable and pasture, and a few extra at harvest 

 according to circumstances and the quantity and 

 quality of the arable land, the cost of the manage- 

 ment of which also varies, but is generally between 

 30s. and 40s. per acre. In manual labour I believe 

 these figures to be tolerably correct, and if it be 

 so, it will be no difficult task for us to satisfy our- 

 selves whether we are individually above or below 

 this amount. The mode of payment in this county 

 has mostly been partly in money and partly by no 

 end of perquisites — a custom that has long been 

 established between master and man, and one that 

 I should have supposed did nor require the inter- 

 ference of third persons ; for though in the case of 

 a few close-fisted men it is possible somewhat to 

 abuse it, still on the whole it is one that provides 

 for the comfort of the poor as well, if not better, 

 than any other that can be devised. In many cases 

 it ensures for the family a comfortable home, fuel, 

 cheap bread, and potatoes under all circumstances, 

 regularly supplied. Notwithstanding this, it has, 

 undoubtedly, been the cause of many hard sayings. 

 People, from not understanding the true state of 

 things, have held us up to the derision of the pub- 

 lic, and made us the butt of the nation. Mr. Fow- 

 ler then read an extract from the Journal of the 

 Bath and West of England Society on " The La- 

 bourer's Pay whether in Money or in Kind," which 

 went to shov/ that the latter system was not alto- 

 gether bad, as the labourer was saved the retailer's 

 profit, and had the staff of life supplied at a rea- 

 sonable price in time of scarcity. He then pro- 

 ceeded : I cannot, however, but express my sur- 

 prise that such a society as the Bath and West of 

 England should have opened their Jo«/rna^ for such 

 a purpose, and publishing such a statement as 

 can be found in the essay of Messrs. Spinder and 

 Isaac, in the last year but one. They have not 

 only published it, but awarded it their prize, thus 

 stamping it with all the authority this society can 

 give it. I should naturally have supposed that 

 some evidence would have been given to prove the 

 position they have given our county— viz., the 

 lowest in the scale of payment for labour of all in 

 the AYest of England. They certainly published 



statements given in answer to their own questions, 

 from my Lord Portman, and Mr. Harvey, of Stur- 

 minster, but not one from any farmer in this 

 county. As far as I can understand these answers, 

 they are at variance with the conclusions these 

 gentlemen have arrived at — they have nothing in 

 theui but what is in accordance with my own views. 

 I will read to you the statements, and the answers 

 on which they are founded. I will also read to you 

 the evidence I am prepared with, and for which I 

 have to thank many gentlemen in different parts of 

 our county, and then trust to a discerning public 

 to judge if the agricultural labourer of this county 

 is in that miserable position which he is constantly 

 supposed to be. I trust before we part this 

 evening we shall satisfactorily prove the statements 

 of Messrs. Spender and Isaac to be void of foun- 

 dation and truth, for I consider it a positive duty, 

 when such statements are made, to come forward 

 with facts; and although it is not at all times de- 

 sirable to publish our private affairs, I have de- 

 termined to give you my labour account as it has 

 actually been paid, during the past year ; and that 

 no mistake may be supposed to have been made in 

 the value of their perquisites, I am prepared to 

 give my men the amount in cash I have valued 

 them at, if they will accept it, or I will give any one 

 the amount, that will find my men in their per- 

 quisites for the next seven years. The only pay- 

 ment I cannot guarantee the exact amount of is 

 their ale; but I have endeavoured to place that 

 rather under the quantity than over what they 

 actually get. I employ my men as much as pos- 

 sible at piece work ; it gives the best labourers ad- 

 vantages ; it relieves me of having to see they keep 

 their regular hours ; and they know as they work 

 so they will be paid, be it more or less. I have 

 taken for my use this evening the wages of fifteen 

 men, who have worked for me and my father a 

 great number of years, averaging seventeen each 

 man. I value their house and garden at £4 per 

 annum ; their fuel at its cost ; their flour I con- 

 sider to be worth, on an average of seven years, 

 Gs. per bag more than I charge them for it ; and 

 their potato land ploughed and prepared at Is. per 

 perch, each man being allowed a day to plant and a 

 day to dig up at my expense. My plan of sup- 

 plying them with flour is different from that of my 

 neighbours, though it has the same end in view. 

 If I employ a man it is to my interest to place him 

 in a position to provide necessaries for his family, 

 be it large or small; I consequently allow them 

 whatever flour they require at 30s. per bag, which 

 is equivalent to good wheat at 5s. per bushel, it 

 being entirely optional to themselves what quantity 

 they have. I have other men than those whose 

 wages I shall presently read to you, but they are 

 not strictly what are known as agricultural labourers, j 

 For instance, one who works in the wood for my 1 

 landlord in winter, and for me in summer ; this 

 man has house, garden, and fuel free, and his 

 earnings are not less than from I5s. to 18s. per 

 week. Another, who makes my hurdles, cribs, and 

 spars in winter, and is at piece work in summer, 

 earns at least 15s. per week. To another, who 

 does the rough carpentering for Mr. Ffooks and 

 myself, but has no pretensions to a tradesman, we 



