78 



make the condition of the agricultural worker equal to the standard 

 of workers in other large industries. But it is worthy of notice that the 

 rate of production per man in British agriculture has been rising during 

 the last thirty or forty years. The total production of agriculture fell 

 slightly, perhaps ten per cent., between 1871 and 1911, but the number 

 of persons engaged in agriculture declined by about 30 per cent, during 

 the same period. As a result it was possible to slightly increase wages 

 and to shorten hours even while prices were rapidly falling. 



The maintenance of production while agriculturists were declining 

 in numbers was made possible by the adoption of machinery. During 

 the last thirty years of the nineteenth century nearly all implements 

 and machines employed on farms became more efficient and adaptable, 

 and the increased use of machinery for harvest work made possible a 

 considerable economy in human labour. In particular, harvesting 

 machines did away with the necessity for a large amount of casual 

 labour, thus regularising employment. Further application of machinery 

 and power will be necessary if the standard of production per man is 

 to be raised. The small farm does not provide the ideal unit for the 

 application of machinery and power. On small farms, too, the farmer 

 and his family occupy all the positions of management. In agriculture 

 as now organised there is very little scope for specialisation of function 

 either in management or labour. The boy who begins work on a farm 

 at the age of twelve or thirteen years generally reaches the maximum 

 of his advancement at twenty-five or thirty years of age, sometimes 

 before. He may begin with odd work in the stable or yard, sometimes 

 as a boy with a team. As he gets older he is trusted to work horses 

 himself. Perhaps later he may change his employment and become 

 an attendant on cattle, or he may in many counties become an ordinary 

 day-man or 'dataller.'* After the age of twenty-five a few men who 

 have gained experience obtain positions as shepherds, head-stockmen, 

 or head-carters ; but on farms up to 200 acres in size these positions 

 do not carry much responsibility, and consequently little advance in 

 economic or social position. 



A few other labourers may advance to the position of farm foreman 

 or bailiff. The number of these positions open to men was increasing 

 from 1851 to 1901; but has since slightly declined. In 1851 the number 

 was 10,561 ; in 1901, 22,623 ; and in" 1911, 22,141. The increase in 

 the number of these positions has been primarily due to the process 

 of ' laying farm to farm,' by which separate farms, often lying at a 



* The preponderance of ' ordinary labourers ' is shown by the Census classifica- 

 tion of males engaged in agriculture (England and Wales, 1911) : 



Farmers and Graziers 208,761 



Sons and Relatives 97,689 



Farm Bailiffs and Foremen 22,141 



Shepherds 20,838 



Cattlemen 69,094 



Horsemen 128,122 



Not otherwise distinguished, or ' ordinary labourers ' 425,063 



