416 HARVEST-MEN. [AUG. 



harvest-men, and in some they are fed at an extra- 

 vagant rate : I would by all means advise the eco- 

 nomical farmer to vary this matter, if possible, un- 

 less the men really work at a great rate, and stick 

 to it early and late ; but, if the custom is rooted 

 so deeply, that they will not give it up, then it is 

 an object of attention to make the expence as mo- 

 derate as possible, which must be by a previous 

 plan of fatting a beast or two, and a few sheep for 

 the purpose ; and also by providing whatever else 

 may be consumed. 



For many years, that is to say, till the scarcities, 

 I put out my harvests to the men at, 1 5 acres pet- 

 man, and 4s. per acre for spring corn, and 5s. per 

 acre for wheat, beans, and pease ; three bushels 

 of malt per man instead of beer, and from 5s. to 

 7s; 6d. per man in lieu of earnest, dinner, gloves, 

 and haivky, or harvest-home supper, at which rates 

 the whole harvest came to about 3l. 10s. per man : 

 it rose to 5l. 5s. and then even to 61. and 7!. 7s. 

 a man, so that at present, in some parts of Suffolk, 

 the expence is not less than lOs. ()d. an acre, every 

 branch of labour included. And this is much lower 

 than it is in some counties. In the fens of Lincoln 

 and Cambridge, where cottage building has by no 

 means kept pace with improvements, I have known 

 IDs. Oil. a day and ten pints and an half of ale 

 given ; and '2/s. per acre for reaping oats. There 

 the strangers who go to assist in the harvest will 

 let themselves only for the day ; they are found at 

 four o'clock iu the morning ou certain bridges, and 



the 





