PIECEWORK AND " EXTRAS." 29 



There are other ways of rewarding shepherds for their 

 extra care and labour during " lambing time " ; that 

 is, by giving them beer, coals, or food. They also get 

 " Michaelmas money," or a sum down paid at Michael- 

 mas. It may amount to two pounds, or go up to as 

 high as five pounds. Under-shepherds also get a small 

 bonus at lambing time, and also a proportionately 

 smaller one than the head shepherd at Michaelmas. 

 Occasionally a shepherd is allowed to do sheep washing 

 and shearing as piecework ; or extra money for this 

 may be given in addition to the ordinary wages. 



" Michaelmas money " is also somewhat of an insti- 

 tution for men in charge of animals, that is, if they 

 do not get a share of the " extras " given during harvest. 

 Now and then men get both " Michaelmas money " 

 and harvest money. The former may amount to two 

 pounds, or from that to five pounds. The payment 

 at Michaelmas in North Cambridgeshire to unmarried 

 men in charge of animals men who get their board 

 from the foreman, amounts sometimes to as much as 

 from nine to eighteen pounds ; but this is not all bonus, 

 but a payment deferred on account of wages. 



The extras of carters or waggoners sometimes take 

 the form of sixpence or a shilling a journey for taking 

 carts or waggons a certain distance. The payment is 

 called " journey money " or " road money." Higher 

 rates are given for four-horse waggons, and then the 

 accompanying lad or second man shares the extra pay. 

 Again, the payment is sometimes per sack carted, or 

 per load, and may be twopence per sack and a shilling 

 per load for all corn delivered to destinations. Another 

 kind of payment of " extras " is to horsemen working 

 drills, and they are paid a penny to threepence per acre 

 drilled, and the same per acre for grass mown by a 

 machine. Like the shepherds who benefit by the 

 birth of lambs, the horsemen get sometimes a " bonus " 

 for each live foal. Then, again, cattlemen occasionally 



