262 BRITISH RURAL LIFE AND LABOUR. 



averaged three days a week, from eight to six o'clock. 

 Cottage rent, out of their total of twelve and six a week, 

 had to be paid a shilling a week. On the road between 

 Marlborough and Oare we met a healthy looking young 

 labourer, who described himself to us as a " lump " or 

 pieceworker. He was a "handy man," and could do 

 most things connected with a farm, including thatching, 

 which is quite a distinct art. Like many, especially 

 energetic, labourers he worked for various farmers, and 

 including everything could earn fifteen shillings a week. 

 About this neighbourhood the weekly average of wages 

 was ten shillings ; shepherds and carters earning two 

 shillings more, paid in these instances by a. free cottage 

 and a shilling in cash. Ordinary wages had gone up 

 two shillings more, but the wave of farming " depres- 

 sion " had recently the men averred brought them 

 down again to eleven first, and then to ten shillings. 

 The men phrased the agricultural depression " the bad 

 times." For twenty " lug," or the eighth of an acre 

 of allotment ground, the peasant paid ten shillings 

 annually, or double what the farmer paid per acre ; so 

 that a profit on subletting of a hundred per cent, was 

 " raked in," so to speak, by the farmer. Around Wilcote 

 and at Pudsey wages were ten and eleven shillings a 

 week without additional " advantages." At Manning- 

 ford we met a boy of fourteen who earned, he said, three 

 and sixpence weekly ; his father earned ten ; and on 

 the total father, mother, and four children lived. Beer 

 was allowed at harvest. Another lad we met earned 

 four shillings a week. He had to lead a horse that drew 

 a rake. We came upon a picturesque family group a 

 little way from Up-Avon sitting under a hayrick, and 

 consisting of father and mother, a son of twenty, and a 

 little girl of nine all taking their dinner just brought in 

 a basket from home by the mother. Their total earn- 

 ings, including those of two sons not present, were 

 actually thirty shillings a week ! But four such bread- 



