CHAPTER XVI. 



EXTRAS, PIECEWORK, AND ALLOWANCES 

 IN KIND. 



THE system of half-yearly and yearly hiring acts in 

 Scotland, as in England and Wales, in minimising 

 " extras," and in reducing the amount of piecework 

 the general effect of season engagements being, so to 

 speak, to " reckon in " nearly everything in the way of 

 work in settling the half-yearly or yearly amount to 

 be paid to farm labourers. No doubt this system 

 has many advantages, because " extras " are very 

 much in the same category as " tips " to attendants, 

 and it is better when both sides to any agreement 

 for the performance of any kind of service are agreed 

 as to the full amount of remuneration. The payment 

 of piecework in Scotland is mainly confined to casual 

 labourers, and these are very small in number, including 

 a certain proportion of Irish emigrants. It is occa- 

 sionally the case that the regular staff have the oppor- 

 tunity given them of earning extra pay on such work 

 as turnip-hoeing, and sometimes during harvest ; and 

 it would seem that this kind of work is somewhat on 

 the increase in Scotland. Women workers, however, 

 get a higher rate of pay during the corn harvest, and 

 sometimes at potato-lifting. During the hay harvests, 

 also, men are allowed occasional extras in the shape of 

 refreshment when doing overtime at harvest. In lieu of 

 food they may get a payment in cash for the whole 

 time, of from fifteen to twenty-five shillings, in lieu of 



