PIECEWORK AND " EXTRAS/ 1 23 



much more rapidly than others, and it is only fair to 

 them when they work ahead of the " average " time 

 to pay them more than the slow man who is behind 

 the average. These considerations seem to prove the 

 fairness of piecework systems, and to show the general 

 desirability of their adoption it may be mentioned 

 that, on large farms under well-ordered management, 

 piecework is much more the custom than on small ones. 

 It is, of course, more suited to the work of the ordinary 

 labourer on a farm than to that of men in charge of 

 animals. Taking England throughout, it is found to 

 be much more the custom in arable than in grazing 

 counties, or what are called " pastoral districts/' and 

 naturally the piecework system is more adopted in 

 those counties where the cash wages are the lowest 

 in practically the worst-paid districts. In these it is 

 more encouragement to the energetic worker to increase 

 his pay. There is less disposition, and less need, for 

 the better-paid farm labourer to exert himself. He can 

 live with a fair amount of comfort, and does not care 

 to overexert himself for a little more. 



Nevertheless, there is no county in England from 

 which the piecework system is entirely excluded. It is, 

 however, the practice in the northern counties, where 

 farm labour commands the best pay, not to resort to 

 piecework except for casual Irish or other labour : 

 the regular staff being paid what is called an " upstand- 

 ing wage " or average, all the year round, wages. The 

 farmer does not generally, of course, know the worth 

 of the casual man, and naturally elects to pay him " by 

 results/' 



We have said, practically, that a large amount of 

 farmwork lends itself, by its straightforward character, 

 to piecework, but we may as well mention the kinds, 

 and will do so in alphabetical order. They are : cleaning 

 ditches, draining, drilling, turning, gathering, carting 

 and cocking hay, hedge cutting, hoeing beans, cabbages, 



