LABOUR 277 



me some quarter of a century ago that he had adopted the practice 

 in part because his son, who was to succeed him in the possession 

 of the property, and who was in the diplomatic service, had very 

 little knowledge of, or interest in, viticulture. Accordingly, it 

 appeared all the more advisable to him to interest his workmen, 

 familiar with the matter, in the cultivation of the vineyards, so as 

 to keep the cultivation on its proper paying level. 



In this country, profit-sharing has been put to the test in a fair 

 number of cases, from Mr. Hall's experiment in Six Miles Bottom 

 downward. Interesting evidence on this point was given before the 

 late Royal Commission on Agriculture, recording satisfactory results 

 on the property of Lady Wantage, an estate of about 5,000 acres, 

 on Sir John Shelley Roll's property in Hampshire ; moreover, on 

 that of Mr. George Stapylton Bacon, of Courteen Hall, Northants — 

 on which property Sir Hereward Wake introduced it — and elsewhere. 

 Here is what Mr. Alfred Amos writes from Wye in Kent : — 



" I am satisfied with the result. Whereas I often hear complaints 

 from farmers that their men are now doing much less work than 

 they used to do ten and twenty years ago, I have no fault to find in 

 this respect ; my men work freely, often suggest new methods in 

 which economies can be practised, and take greater care with stock 

 and the use of implements." 



All witnesses so far heard, in fact, declared themselves satisfied. 



The Inquiry instituted by our Government into cases abroad 

 have yielded some instructive reports. Among them is that of 

 Herr von Blucher, in Mecklenburg. Herr von Bliicher, having 

 introduced a form of profit-sharing on his property of Jurgensdorf 

 in 1874, stated in 1901 that his relations with his employees had 

 throughout been good and that there had never been a lack of work- 

 men on his estate. The scheme continued to give proof of its value. 

 Herr Eberhardt, who began profit-sharing on his estate Komorowen 

 early in 1899, with 46 men, 60 women, 4 boys, and 10 girls 

 employed, declared himself equally satisfied. So did the successor 

 of Count Reventlow, having taken over the Count's estate, on 

 which profit-sharing was introduced in 1900, upon his death, in 

 1906, with about 40 men and 6 women employed.* 



A rather peculiar case, which has proved altogether satisfactory, 

 and which has been much mentioned of late, is that of the Hon. Edwin 

 G. Strutt, relating to his own property and that of his brother, the 

 late Lord Rayleigh, which was under his management, of which 

 scheme I give Mr. Strutt's own description. 



* See Report (Cd. 7283, 1914). 



