242 ON MEASURE-WORK. 



up is mncli reduced : this is caused by the carrots being- 

 liandier to fork xi}) when in rows, besides which, they are 

 g-enerally singled out at greater intervals, and are conse- 

 quently fewer in number and larger than those broadcast. 

 We shall find that, if the work be done by day-labourers, it 

 will take six men to fork up an acre of drilled carrots ; I 

 know this to be about an average, from having assisted in 

 this as well as in other kinds of works that I have described. 

 It Avill take six boys or girls to cut the tops off, as the 

 carrots are taken up by the men. If we take the men at 

 20<^/. a day, and the children at 6d., we may calculate the 

 cost of an acre will be 13s. ; by piece-work, it could be very 

 well done for 12.<f. an acre. If the carrots are a thin plant, 

 the price will be proportionably lower ; and if a very thick 

 one, it may be 2s. or 3.s\ above the sum I have stated. It 

 must be borne in mind that this only includes taking up and 

 topping. I have already given (under the head of hoeing) 

 the details of a practice pursued by many carrot-growers in 

 the west of Suffolk. 



8. Dibblinr/. — In the eastern counties, dibbling is much 

 practised ; and during seed-time the dropping gives employ- 

 ment to great numbers of children. Dibbling wheat is done 

 in two ways — one called " whole setting," when two rows 

 of holes are placed on a broad furrow-slice, the rows being* 

 about five inches apart : a man will dibble, on an average, 

 half an acre a day, and will find work for three droppers ; 

 the cost for dibbling and dropping is from 7s. Gd. to 86\ an 

 acre. The other is called " three-quarter setting;" one row 

 is placed on a narrow furrow-slice, the holes being rather 

 closer together in the row : a man will dibble nearly an acre 

 in a day; this costs about 6s. an acre. Beans and peas 

 being' dibbled at wide intervals, 4.?. an acre is a fair price for 

 them. 



9. Havlmhiff is the cutting or raking into heaps the 

 stubble left by the reapers ; the price varies with the bulk 

 and toughness of the straw. A man paid by the acre will 

 haulm, on an average, upwards of an acre in a day; the 

 price is about 20^/. 



10. Parhifi and Burnhig uncultivated land is generally 

 done by piece-work; the price is affected by the soil, the 

 prevalence of stones and roots, and by the toughness of the 

 sward. Paring- is severe labour ; the burning also requires 

 strict attendance both day and night ; in consequence of 

 this, men will not do this work unless they are able to earn 



