238 ON MEASURE-WORK. 



3. Beaping is also generally done by tlie acre, and in 

 seasons when the crop is heavy or lodg'ed by rain, it be- 

 comes a tedious labour; the price per acre for a medium 

 crop of wheat that stands uprig-ht is about 85-.; but if the 

 wheat is lodg-ed, from 10s. to 125. A g-ood reaper will 

 sometimes cut more than half an acre in a da}', but the 

 g'enerality do not cut more than one-third. Reaping- beans 

 costs about Qs. an acre. Strangers are frequently emplo^^ed 

 to moM^ or reap wheat; I consider it a good plan to supply 

 them with beer at the rate of a gallon for each acre : this 

 will greatly influence the workmen, as they then will have 

 no occasion to go to the beer-shops for drink sold at a high 

 price. The cost to the farmer will be but little, as he can 

 brew beer for the purpose at about Qd. a gallon. 



4. Moiving harlcy or oats is usually included in the con- 

 tract for harvest, of which I am about to give a description. 

 A man will cut upwards of two acres of barley in a day ; 

 of oats he will not be able to get over quite so much. 



5. Harvest-work is generally put out by task. Some 

 farmers give a certain price per man to a company, who 

 agree in return to do all the harvest work in cutting, 

 carrying, and stacking the corn, to which an acre or two 

 of turnip-hoeing for each man is sometimes added. Others 

 hire a sufficient number of men, for four or five weeks, at a 

 certain sum for that time ; this method is mostly practised 

 by small farmers, who work with the men and keep them 

 from loitering; for otherwise there would not be much in- 

 ducement for the labourers to hurry. On the larger farms 

 two distinct modes of hiring are sometimes adopted : the 

 men are divided into two companies — one called the crop- 

 men, who engage to cut a certain number of acres of wheat, 

 all the barley, oats, peas, beans, or any other crop that may 

 be grown on the farm ; to pitch and load all the corn, and 

 to turn a portion of it when required ; to this is added a 

 certain qiiantity of turnip-hoeing, about one or two acres 

 for each man. The yard-men, as the others are called, are 

 hired by the month or five weeks ; their labour is of various 

 kinds, though principally confined to cutting wheat, un- 

 loading and stacking corn, and any other labour that may 

 require to be done. An able-bodied man is usually ])aid 

 4?. 10,'?., and three bushels of malt, for five weeks' certain 

 employment; while the crop-men, who work by the job, 

 have from 4?. IO.9. to 5/., and three bushels of malt, whether 

 their harvest is of lono- or short duration. 



