AGRICULTURAL DETAILS. 25 



per month, and they are not easily obtained to attend regularly 

 at work. Young- men and women of the industrious classes in 

 the country dress in fashionable clothes of the finest fabrics 

 before marriage, after which, the wife becomes a lady, and 

 generally engages a hired girl or help. Thrashing machines 

 are common, but not good ; and when the flail is used, barley 

 and oats cost three cents, rye seven cents, and wheat twelve 

 and a half cents per bushel, when found, that is, food pro 

 vided for the workmen. From the high price of human labour, 

 compared with the price of food, Indian corn is often trod GJ& 

 by oxen. Craddlers generally mow round the field when the 

 crop admits of doing so ; and stop only when the scythe re 

 quires to be sharped. Hay costs in cutting from one to one 



and a half dollar per acre. Mr W pointed out a field of 



rye which was a good crop, and which he had a few days be 

 fore let to be craddled at seventy-five cents per acre, without 

 board or any other etcetera. The craddler not being permit 

 ted to sit at table with the family, and disliking to eat in the 

 kitchen, had agreed to board with one of Mr W s labour 

 ers for forty-five cents per day, and would be thus fed, viz. 

 breakfast at seven o clock, on wheat-bread, rye-bread, fish, 

 cheese, butter, and coffee ; luncheon at ten o clock, on cold 

 meat, pickled pork, cheese, butter, pickles, bread, and coffee ; 

 dine at twelve, on every thing that is good and substantial ; 

 at five is served coffee, with bread, butter, fruit, and fruit-pie. 

 Occasionally supper is taken at seven, but this meal is con 

 sidered superfluous. Mr W - thinks Americans perform a 

 great deal more work than Englishmen, which he attributes to 

 their being better fed. At the conclusion of my transatlantic 

 tour, my opinion is, the inhabitants of America do not work 

 near so much as those of Britain throughout the week or year, 

 although they may, perhaps, do more in a day. The strength 

 and expertness of workmen seems a favourite idea those of 

 every district which I have visited being accounted by the in 

 habitants the best in the world. But the climate of England 

 being better fitted for exertion than that of America, and the 

 apparent health and strength of Englishmen superior, I can 

 discover no reason why they should do less work than the 

 Americans. Men and animals may be considered machines 



