THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



pay 15s. per week; and others who have not 

 worked for me any length of time, or are irregular 

 workmen, I shall entirely disregard ; and be it re- 

 membered if our labourers are ill, i.e., our regular 

 labourers, we pay them prelty much the same as if 

 they were at work. Of course this does not apply 

 if the illness is of very long duration. They have 

 also many other little advantages which partake of 

 a charitable nature, such as a supply of coals, 

 where wanted, at a reduced price, clothing clubs, 

 and the like. Mr. Fowler then submitted the sub- 

 joined labour sheet (see the next column), which 

 will explain itself, with the few preceding remarks. 

 After reading a variety of testimony to show that 

 the above was not an exxeptional illustration, Mr. 

 Fowler quoted an extract from the ])rize essay of 

 Messrs. Spinder and Isaac, in which the wages 

 paid in Dorsetshire were stated to be 7s. per week, 

 or the lowest in the four western counties. He then 

 continued : — I have had many letters from farmers 

 in different parts of the county, and from them I 

 find in the neighbourhood of IBridport the average 

 sura paid to the best labourers is about 10s. per week 

 in cash and 3s. in perquisites — total 13s. per week. 

 From the neighbourhood of Dorchester the average 

 of my communications gives the cash payments 

 and perquisites rather higher, viz., 10s. 6d. in cash 

 and 4s. in advantages — total 14s. 6d. per week. 

 From Purbeck I find the average still higher — cash 

 payments lis. 6d. per week, perquisites 4s. per 

 week. From Sherborne also I find the best 

 labourers earn, on an average of the statements I 

 have received, lis. Gd. per week, with a large quan- 

 tity of cider ; but their advantages are not so nu- 

 merous as in • other parts of the county, though 

 they take more holidays. From Winborne my in- 

 formation leads me to believe the wages are about 

 the same as at Dorchester, 10s. 6d. per week in 

 cash, perquisites 4s, I have a statement of the 

 wages of Mr. Saunders, of Watercombe ; but as it 

 has already been published, I do not propose to 

 refer to it more than to say it can be found in the 

 February number of the Farmer's Mazagine, page 

 123. You will see from these statements the 

 average of my own labourers are somewhat higher 

 than those of others that I have read, and I ac- 

 count for it from the fact of my being a tradesman 

 as well as a farmer, and thus having had it in my 

 power to use them, I trust, to our mutual advan- 

 tage. It obliges me to give them more ale, making 

 that portion of their advantages appear very high ; 

 but I know it is much better for them to have their 

 ale from my cellar than to be running to a public- 

 house for it; where, instead of having a pint as 

 they at first intended, it too often leads to drunken- 

 ness. Now, if all these statements that I have 

 read to you be correct, and I pledge you my word 

 that I have used my best endeavours to make them 

 so, what becomes of Messrs, Spinder and Isaac's 

 statement ? The one or the other must be grossly 

 wrong. I U'ill not pretend to say for a moment but 

 dark spots may be found in our county; but I do 

 not believe that in any one single instance any exten- 

 sive employer of labour can be found whose wages 

 will bear out the statements of these gentlemen. The 

 only evidence they give is that of Lord Portman 

 ond Mr, Harvey, The former says the wages are 



variable, and the latter sets them down at 8s. to 

 10s. per week, with " occasionally ale and cider 

 during the winter and spring." He means, I 

 should think, during spring and summer. Yet 

 this is the evidence on which these gentlemen put 



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