234 ON MEASURE-WORK. 



money expended, very considerably enhances tlie value of 

 his property, and improves the condition of the occupier of 

 his land. 



Agricultural Gazette, Jan. 2, 1847. 



Art. LVL— on MEASURE-WORK. 

 Prize Essay by Mr. Hugh Raynbird. 



[Of the system of measure-work, it is observed by the author of this 

 essay, that it may be adopted with advantage to the farmer, ia almost 

 every kind of agricultural labour, with the exception of that in which 

 horses or other cattle are particularly engaged : other exceptions are jobs 

 of short duration, and the tending of sheep and cattle. 



To the labourer also the system of measure-work, or, to use its less 

 pleasing name, task-work, presents many advantages. Some of these are 

 noticed by Mr. Raynbird. We shall, however, at once pass on to that part 

 of the essay in which he describes the mode in which the system may be 

 carried out, and the different farming operations to which it is applicable.] 



In most kinds of task-labour I would not advise the employ- 

 ment of many labourers in one company; thoug'h in hay 

 and corn harvest, sowing- turnips on the drill-system, dib- 

 bling- wheat, and in some other cases, a combination of force 

 is necessary. The objection to great numbers being- together 

 is, that there vaiiy be some men of loose habits, who will 

 induce the others to spend a portion of their earnings in 

 drink ; when this is carried to any extent, the work is in 

 g-eneral done badly. As an instance of the bad effects pro- 

 duced on the moral conduct of the labourers themselves by 

 the promiscuous employment of g-reat numbers of both sexes, 

 we may mention the gang- system practised in parts of Nor- 

 folk and Suffolk, and which is a g-reat cause of vice and 

 demoralization among- the class of people who are oblig-ed 

 to work in them. In this practice a man called the g-ang-er 

 or undertaker ag-rees with the farmer for certain work, 

 g-enerally hoeing- wheat and turnips, harvesting- and storing- 

 away root-crops, dibbling- wheat, or any lig-ht work in which 

 women and children are employed. The undertaker having- 

 made a barg-ain with the farmer, g-ets tog-ether an assem- 

 blag-e of labourers of all descriptions and characters from 

 the neig-hbouring- towns and villag-es ; these have often to 



