AGEICULTURAL LABOUKEKS 233 



"wages have risen within the last half-century by nearly 

 five shillings. Nor is this all. It will be seen, from a 

 glance at Appendix XVI.,' Table 2, that, within the last 

 fifty years, their real wages have increased to an almost 

 equal extent. Every item, except butter and butcher's 

 meat, costs less, while the 4-lb. loaf has fallen from Is. 4d. to 

 4>^d. The condition of agricultural labourers may be, and 

 ought to be, improved in directions already indicated, and 

 it seems almost incredible that in the whole of England 

 and Wales there should still be only 9,466 of the total 

 number who have the opportunity of keeping a cow. But 

 the advance which they have made in material prosperity 

 is enormous, especially if it is remembered that their 

 earnings, though primarily consisting of weekly wages, are 

 largely supplemented by payments for task-work, piece- 

 work, and allowances ; that, if employed at all, they are 

 employed more continuously than in former times ; and 

 that though coal varies too widely in price in different 

 districts to admit of any average being taken, yet not only 

 firing, but all articles of clothing, are far cheaper in 1887 

 than in 1824. 



On the other hand, many articles of clothing which 

 were formerly made at home are now bought, and the very 

 large additions to the weekly earnings of the family which 

 were made by the wife and children are, to a great extent, 

 withdrawn. Wages from 1871 to 1873 rose far higher than 

 the figures shown in 1881, and further reductions have taken 

 place within the last six years. But it seems probable that 

 the average fall upon the wages of 1881 is not more than 

 Is. a week, and this loss is partially covered by the in- 

 creased purchasing power of wages. 



It is, then, evident that agricultural labourers in full 



' See Appendix XVI., Prices of Provisions, &c. 



