266 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



best authorities. The result is one of the most valu- 

 able and thoroughly useful essays that has ever 

 yet been published. We do not say at the London 

 Farmers' Club. We would confine the excellence of 

 this paper to no such limit, but we would offer 

 it to the private coterie and more open forum as 

 one of the best of its kind. At an era in our history 

 when labour is at length duly recognized as one of the 

 heaviest and most indispensable items in the farmer's 

 outlay — at a time when this labour is gradually be- 

 coming more difficult to command — and when the 

 labourer needs more intelligence and skill as he insists 

 on better wages — with such a growing difficulty before 

 us, what are we to do to meet it ? The answer is, to 

 teach a man to rely more upon his own exertions — to 

 let liim feel that the more he improves himself in his 

 handicraft the more will he profit by it. The days are 

 gone when the master kept so many' men "on" 

 simply because he was compelled to keep them, and 

 was content to see them dawdle through the worst 

 possible day's work at the worst possible day's 

 pay. He the rather wishes them to do all they can 

 and as expeditiously as they cau. Land must be 

 worked, corn must be cut, and seed must be sown just 

 at the nick of time. This is now known to be half the 

 secret. While the companion secret, or the other half 

 of it, is to train men to be ready, sharp, and clever. 



Mr. Howard and his many friends whisper this in a 

 word to us — It is piece-work. And straightway 

 Messrs. Sneer and Growl and Grinn echo to each 

 other, " Who did'nt know that ?" However well 

 known, it is curious to see that the system is rather 

 going back than coming on. Despite such examples 

 as the drill, the reaper, or even the steam-plough 

 being let to the labourers, there is not so much work 

 done by the piece as formerly. And the reason is not 

 precisely that Mr. Howard seemed to dread when he 

 undertook the subject, or that Sneer, Growl, and 

 Grinn would be so ready to give us. Piece-work is 

 often found to be expensive ; and when so, its costli- 

 ness generally arises from the masters not really know- 

 ing what work is worth. They are not competent to 

 deal with the men, and prefer returning to the so many 

 shillings a week ; a state of circumstances under which 

 an able man takes pretty good care that he shall not 

 be of more value than a bad one. 



That " we come here to talk about what every prac- 

 tical man knows," will scarcely be the comment upon 

 this paper. On the contrary, we believe that the 

 practieal man, above all, will read it with pleasure 

 and advantage, while *' the prices" of different dis- 

 tricts will put many a man right as to what he should 

 pay and what he should have. In almost every other 

 kind of employment piece-work is the rule, whereas in 

 Agriculture it is the exception. Where it is so, the 

 tone of this discussion goes to assure us that it mainly 

 arises from either the master or man not knowing 

 their own business or what is best for themselves. In 

 a word, the employer would have his work done better 

 and quicker ; while, as to the labourer, we hear from 

 all sides that his condition should be improved, He 



should be better housed, he should be better fed, he 

 should be better paid, better educated, and so on. Let U8 

 attempt to make this no matter of charity, but simply 

 allow him the chance to do it all for himself. The 

 more skilled he is to manage modern machinery, and 

 the more energy he gives to his task, will all duly de- 

 velop in gi-ealer comforts and a higher position, when 

 a man is estimated and paid, as he should be, by the 

 work he can do. 



The subsequent discussion, though by no means 

 equal to Mr. Howard's admirable opening, will still well 

 repay a careful perusal, jotted as it is here and there 

 with useful hints and practices. One rather amusing 

 incident occurred in the course of these after- 

 proceedings. Mr. Frere, the new editor of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, in thanking Mr. 

 Howard, observed that, although the whole of the 

 Paper had not been read, he trusted that the com- 

 mittee of the Club would allow it at once to appear in 

 the newspapers. Whereupon Mr. Sidney, in support- 

 ing the suggestion, remarked " that it was not the 

 practice here to keep information of any value out of 

 the papers, or to bottle it up for six or eight months 

 until it was next to useless " — an observation put with 

 such point as to cause a shout of laughter, in which 

 " the editor" had to join, too palpably at his own ex- 

 pense, Mr. Howard's address of course appears in its 

 entirety. 



DAY AND PIECE WORK. 



The Monthly Meeting was held on Monday evening^ 

 March 4, at the Club House, Blackfriars, Mr. Skelton pre- 

 siding. The question fixed for discussion was, " The 

 several merits of day and piece work;" but no name was 

 affixed to it on the programme of subjects for the year. 

 There was a very good attendance of members, most of 

 the leading districts being represented. 



The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said he was 

 happy to be able to state that the appeal which he made at 

 the last meeting as regarded the enrolment of new mem- 

 bers had been well responded to. There had been several 

 additions, and he hoped that by the end of the year the 

 number of members would be nearly doubled. As regarded 

 the subject for discussion, to which no name was attached 

 on the card, he was liappy to say that Mr. Chai'les Howard 

 had, at the request of the Committee, kindly undertaken 

 to introduce it. He had another announcement to make 

 relating to a matter of some interest to the members gene- 

 rally. The landlady of that house having retired, the 

 Committee had that day had an interview with the incom- 

 ing landlord, and there appeared to be every prospect of 

 the members being well attended to in that establishment. 

 The landloi-d had told the Committee that he was most 

 willing, and most anxious to give all the members who 

 might come there the greatest possible satisfaction. 



Mr. C. HowAED said : Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the 

 Committee of the London Farmers' Club having been 

 disappointed by the gentleman who was proposed to intro- 

 duce the subject on the card this evening declining to do 

 so, unanimously requested me to bring the subject before 

 you. I should have preferred a longer notice than three 

 weeks ; however, as the Club appeared to be in a fix, I 

 waived the shortness of the notice, and very willingly came 



