( l62 ) 



general praflice in this part of the kingdom, that as little 

 occurs in this place as neceffary to be faid upon the fubjedl. 

 The mode of inning the harveft at prefent, appears to be 

 the mofl: important and material. 



In moft places this is done by engaging a certain number 

 of men,, who receive a fixed fum for their time, be it long 

 or fhort, and are fed by the farmers during the whole time : 

 hence it frequently happens, that foon after the harveftmen 

 arrive, by the heat of the feafon, and change of food, they 

 get a furfeit, and many of them are laid up for the firft week 

 or ten days with inflammatory fevers. From a gallon and 

 an half to two gallons of ftrong harveft beer, is their ufual 

 allowance, with as much refrefhing fmall beer as they choofe 

 to drink; this, together with a profufion of animal and 

 vegetable food, conftitutes their daily fare. 



In this manner the men are fed, and fupported for a 

 month or fix weeks, but in the interim, what becomes of 

 their wives and children? depending upon the harveft wages, 

 to pay rent, and provide a little winter fuel; they are com- 

 pelled to fubfifl upon a few loofe ears, gleaned in the fields, 

 inftead of participating with the men in their labour and fub- 

 fiftence, by an arrangement fimilar to that noticed in the 

 journal at Sturmer. 



By fuch management the neceflities of a poor family in 

 that plentiful feafon are much relieved. By their mutual 

 co-operation and fubfifting together, their earnings are in- 

 creafed, and their little fcale of comforts proportionably 

 enlarged — The hufband in fharing and dividing with his 

 wife and children, the labour and comforts of the feafon, 

 becomes exempt from indifpofiiion, and the whole family 

 are thereby invigorated to make the beft polTible ufe of 

 that precious feafon. 



To 



