AUGUST 295 



for the men to use wherever corn can be cut with it to advantage. 

 Of course such a machine means an enormous saving of labour, 

 but it cannot always be set to work, as it will not deal satisfactorily 

 with laid and twisted corn. 



At Bedingham we have thirty-five acres of corn to be dealt 

 with by three men and one boy, each man receiving 7/., and the 

 boy 2/. los. This allows ten acres for each man, and five acres 

 for the boy. The hands, who do everything except thatch the 

 stacks, also undertake to go once through the piece of white 

 turnips on No. 18 with the hand-hoe. It will be observed that 

 their rate of money is ten shillings less than the wage to be paid 

 upon this farm, the reason being that, although they have no reaper 

 to help them, the area to be dealt with by their labour is less. 



Here at Ditchingham the cowman, Buck, and a boy stand 

 out of the harvest and are paid no extra money, although Buck 

 will have to undertake the thatching of the stacks. In com- 

 pensation, however, for his receiving no harvest money he is 

 given a cottage valued at 4/. a year rent free. In addition to his 

 thatching he and Hood between them will have to manage the 

 milking of the cows and to take care of the cattle. 



Eleven is the average number of acres which an able-bodied 

 man is supposed to be able to harvest. That is the extent 

 arranged for with his labourers by a neighbouring farmer in this 

 village. These men, however, are to receive 7/. 7^. each, and 

 their bargain includes the thatching of the stacks. In this case 

 there is no reaper to assist them, and the straw of his crops is 

 supposed to be stouter than mine, an important item in reckoning 

 up the amount of work to be done. 



This afternoon I went to examine the reaper which I have 

 purchased, that is being put together at the foundry in Bungay. 

 It is an American machine, very light, but strong in make, and 

 seems well fitted for our work. 



In a greenhouse in this garden I have two tame toads, named 

 Martha and Jane respectively. Also there is a tiny one called 

 Babette, but she can hardly be counted, as she is so small and 



