ON MEASURE-WORK. 235 



walk some distance to their work, and are then exposed to 

 all the corrupting- influence of bad companions ; their wages 

 are uncertain, for as soon as the weather becomes unfavour- 

 able, or the job is ended, they are thrown out of eniploj. 

 To take the place of the gang- I would either have a 

 steady man, paid a shilling* or two a week extra, to su- 

 perintend the children, or put outwork in wdiich they are 

 required, to men with larg-e families, who would then haye 

 an opportunity of overlooking" the behaviour of their own 

 children. 



The measurement of task-work may be most exactly 

 taken by the chain for land and the length of drains and 

 ditches, and the tape for taking- the cubic contents of heaps 

 of soil and manure, the dimensions of clay-pits, and the 

 square contents of thatching-. I need hardly remind the 

 farmer of the assistance he may obtain from the agricultural 

 table-books, which will be found very useful, and may be 

 had at a price within the reach of every one. 



The rates of payment for task-w^ork g-iven by me are those 

 paid during- the last ten years; the day-wag-es have been 

 successively 8.*?., 9.S., and 10,s\ a week; the present wag-es 

 for a common day-labourer are 10^, for summer and 

 winter; during- harvest upwards of 11. a week is earned; 

 and in haymaking'-time beer is given in addition to the com- 

 mon price of a day's work. A woman w^orking- from eig-ht 

 in the morning- to six in the evening- has 8d. or lO^Z. a day. 



The usual hours of day-labour with us are in summer 

 from six in the morning- to six in the evening-; in winter 

 as long- as it is light ; out of this the labourer is allowed 

 l;j hour for breakfast and dinner. Men employed with, 

 horses work from six in the morning to h-alf-past two in 

 the afternoon,! including- a short time for breakfast : during 

 harvest, from five in the morning to seven in the evening, 

 or as long as the farmer pleases ; out of this they rest about 

 two hours. 



The quantities of the various kinds of work which I shall 

 state as performed in a given time, are taken from task- 

 Avork actually done by labourers in our employ, and may 

 therefore be considered an average; though, from many 



' I find it a much better plan for horses and men, to bait the horses 

 for an hour, excepting in the shortest days of winter ; and in summer to 

 let them He by for two hours, or even for three, during such heat as we 

 have lately experienced. — Pu. Pu.si:\'. 



To this I agree after experience. — Portma.v. 



