chiefly as regards the Production of Meat. 423 



The Agricultural Labouker. 



Any report upon purely agricultural matters would scarcely be 

 complete without giving certain details respecting the labourer, 

 especially at a time when Agricultural Strikes and Labourers' 

 Unions are causing so much commotion in various parts of the 

 country. Since 1853 the position of the labourer in Cumberland 

 has been very much ameliorated ; wages have been almost 

 doubled ; superior cottages provided on many estates ; and, 

 owing to the recent Elementary Education Act, children are 

 being better educated. 



At the time I mention, wages, although higher than in most 

 southern counties, were so low that many of the comforts and 

 even some of the necessaries of life were denied to the labourer 

 and his family. The payment to a first-class married man ranged 

 from 10*'. to 125. per week, with a cottage ; but even the use of 

 the so-called free dwelling could not be set down as a part of 

 his remuneration, for in most instances his wife was required, as 

 a sort of equivalent, to attend to cattle in the fields^in summer 

 and in the byres and courts in winter. Where no dwelling was 

 provided, the wages varied from lis. to 13^., but seldom was 

 145. reached. Now, the same class of men get from 205. to 245. 

 with superior cottage rent free : certainly, on some estates, the 

 old hands only receive from 155. to I85., but these cases are ex- 

 ceptional. The agricultural labourer is paid very little in kind. 

 Some, however, stipulate with their employers to have their 

 coals brought ; others, who have a pig, are permitted to plant 

 potatoes in the farmer's field with the manure ; while, in a few 

 instances, a quart of skim milk is allowed daily for the use of 

 the family, but even these practices are fast dying out. It was 

 formerly the custom for the farmer to board one or two of his 

 constant workmen, the wages then paid ranging from 75. to 95. 

 per week with victuals. At present, the rule is, to pay each 

 workman the whole of his earnings in hard cash ; and in the 

 same manner as he is at liberty to sell his labour in the dearest 

 market, he has the privilege of buying his goods in the 

 cheapest. 



Extra hands (men) were usually engaged in the time of har- 

 vest, and were known by the name of " month-men." These 

 obtained 2Z. IO5. to 3Z. for the harvest month, together with bed 

 and board. A good month-man was expected to be able to 

 reap, bind, stook, pitch corn, and stack ; in fact, he had to make 

 himself generally useful. In wet weather, he was employed in 

 threshing and preparing thatch, in making straw ropes, and 

 in covering in and finishing off the stacks. Since the more 

 extended use of machinery, the month-man is now very little 



