CO-OPERATION IN FARMING. 257 



and, Mr. Cranston driving, they dashed through the 



c;ateway into the standing grass, levelHng it as they 



went, to the unbounded surprise of Jem, my carter, 



and of all my numerous friends who had assembled to 



witness the result. Jem now in turn took his seat, and 



after a few lessons he drove it remarkably well, mowing 



upwards of a hundred acres that year, including clover 



and meadow grass, without an accident. I gave him 6d. 



an acre and four pints of beer a day ; in this way he 



earned considerably more than he could have done by 



mowing with his scythe, so he was content to become a 



gentleman, driving his carriage and pair, throughout 



haytime. When the reaping-machine came out in a 



good form, I repeated the same tactics ; to all the men 



1 gave extra pay, and they regarded with good will 



every labour-saving machine I afterwards purchased 



and used. 



The most successful application of co-operation was, I 



found, in regard to the production of live stock on the 



farm and their exhibition at Agricultural Shows. My 



cowman had 5^. a head for all the calves he reared on 



the farm ; the shepherd had 6d. for every lamb, about 160 



being reared annually; the carter \os. for every colt 



reared, and 20 per cent, on all prizes won by the stock 



at the shows. Each man had an interest in the earnings 



of the farm and in its produce and crops. When I won 



a prize for the cultivation of root crops, and for the best 



samples of wheat, barley, or beans, or for the general 



cultivation on the farm, I divided 20 per cent, of the 



sum so obtained between all the men on the farm. I 



think most strongly that this method of dealing with 



S 



