THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



139 



crops, as well as corn, they would find that the 

 feeding roots are near the surface. He did not 

 consider it was on account of his deepening the 

 soil, for if he had put the dung in afterwards, no 

 doubt he would have had a good piece of wheat. 



Mr. Taylor thought they should always plough 

 as shallow as they could for wheat. 



Mr. Groves made a few practical observations 

 upon the advantages which might be derived from 

 a knowledge of geology, in deepening and mixing 

 soils. 



After a few observations from Mr. Clarke, the 

 discussion terminated. 



THE HIND-SYSTEM IN LINCOLNSHIRE. 



At the commencement of this year's session of the 

 London Farmers' Club we congratulated that body 

 on the attention which they, the Commons House 

 of Agriculture, were bestowing on the condition of 

 the agricultural labourer. It was much needed. 

 Amidst the march of agricultural progress by which 

 the past century has been distinguished, it is a lament- 

 able truth that the condition of the agricultural 

 labourer has deteriorated. This was placed in a strong 

 light by Mr. Baker, of Writtle, who declared that in 

 many districts where labour was abundant, advantage 

 had been taken of it to reduce wages to the lowest 

 minimum point. There the labourers were not so 

 well off as they were in 177o. 



The latest subject for discussion on this text was, 

 "The best and cheapest mode of boarding and lodg- 

 ing farm-servants." With the altered habits of far- 

 mers—and not only of farmers, but of other classes 

 — to board and lodge their labourers in the farm- 

 house has fallen into disuse, and is not likely to be 

 revived. There appears, therefore, to be only three 

 courses open to us in this, as the late Sir Robert Peel 

 so often found it in other cases. These three courses 

 are — the practice detailed by Mr. Marshall, as prevail- 

 ing in part of Lincolnshire ; the practice of Essex, 

 as described by Mr. Baker, which he pronounced 

 inferior to it, in point of economy to the farmer, 

 as well as of advantage to the labourer; and a third, 

 which was not touched on in this discussion — namely, 

 the employment of hired householders, resident on 

 the farm, in cottages of their own, and paid chiefly 

 in bacon, meal, and m;ilt, at the same rate as the 

 single men in Lincolnshire. This would divide among 

 the hinds — we like that good old English name — some 

 of the advantages which in the Lincolnshire plan are 

 absorbed by the foreman. From some remarks 

 which Mr. iNIarshall made in the outset, it would 

 appear that tlie plan adopted in Lincolnshire has 

 originated there since 1849 ; and therefore if it can be 

 proved that it is susceptible o( further modifications, 

 which, while they will he equally beneficial to the 

 farmer would have a better moral influence on the 

 men, there cannot be that difficulty in their intro- 

 duction which besets every attempt to introduce im- 

 provements on long-practised habits or institutions. 

 Mr. Marshall's paper embraced both parts of the ques- 

 tion : — the advantages of the system to the master, and 

 its moral influence on the men. The former part of the 

 question, however, was that chiefly dwelt on ; the latter 



being but slightly touched on, with the exception of the 

 statement that it is part of the duty of the foreman 

 on the farm, with whom the men reside, to see that 

 they attend public-worship once at least on the Sunday. 

 We learn further that the rector of the parish kindly at- 

 tends on one evening in the week, to instruct the young 

 men in writing, and to expound the Scriptures to them. 

 In this point the system appears susceptible of improve- 

 ment. The clergyman does quite right but no more 

 than his duty to give the young men religious 

 instruction ■ but we do not know that it is neces- 

 sary he should be the parish writing-master. An 

 evening school, to be frequented by the young men 

 of several farms, should be held on more than one 

 evening in the week, and should be supported partly 

 by subscription of the farmers, partly by the payments 

 of the pupils. We are great friends to education, but 

 not to gratuitous education. What we pay for, we value 

 most ; and these young men should contribute to the 

 expense of their own instruction. Proceeding, how- 

 ever, to the material advantages of the system 

 to the men. The practice of South Lincolnshire 

 is thus described : — It is customary, we are told, to keep 

 on a farm of 500 acres five farm-servants, under the 

 superintendence and control of a married foreman. 

 The manner in which they are employed forms no part 

 of the question to be discussed in the present article, 

 beyond the observation that the first and second wag- 

 goners are wholly employed from four in the morning 

 till eight at night in the working or feeding and caring 

 of the horses, and that the three juniors when not with 

 their horses amuse themselves from four to six in the 

 afternoon cutting chaff. If this kind of life leaves 

 little time for mental cultivation, it has the advantage 

 of allowing little for mischief. 



These men live with the foreman, for whom a com- 

 modious house is provided, with an ample vegetable 

 garden, rent-free, with the produce of two cows for 

 five, or one cow for three men. He is allowed also a 

 fat pig weighing 26 stones, and one of \he like weight 

 for each of his men. He has forty stones of flour for 

 each man, one quarter of malt for himself and the 

 harvest-men, and a sack of malt for each of the men. 

 lie is allowed five tons of coals for the consumption of 

 the establishment; he finds candles for the chaff-house 

 and stable when required, and is allowed Is. a-day for 

 casual boarders, such as additional harvest-men, 

 smiths, &c. The men have three meals a-day ; and, 

 of a truth, the bill of fare savours more of America 



