268 BRITISH RURAL LIFE AND LABOUR. 



value of the cider it was curious to note how the estimate 

 of value had lessened : so that the imaginary eighteen- 

 pence and two shillings became a shilling and fifteen- 

 pence. Near Bridgwater, however, we found that the 

 cider custom was partly continued, and also at and 

 about Cannington ; but here when there was none the 

 " cash " substitute was only a shilling a week. About 

 Martock the custom was a good deal in vogue of em- 

 ploying labourers by the day, and then paying them 

 two shillings a day a rather artful plan for the 

 farmer, as he could slip the employment on days too 

 wet for work. Railway men doing very much the same 

 kind both kinds being largely spade and pick work, at 

 least at times could earn fifteen and sixpence per week. 

 The previous winter, farm wages had been ten and 

 eleven shillings a week, but without either cider or 

 cider-money. Two shillings a day was paid at Stoke- 

 sub-Hamdon. There was there, however, a large 

 gloving industry, employing the wives and daughters 

 of agricultural labourers. One other of the fortunate 

 families with more than one bread-winner we came upon 

 in this village the father earning twelve, two sons ten 

 and eight shillings each respectively, and a third son 

 five and sometimes six shillings a week. From Bur- 

 rington, in the Mendip Valley, a communication reached 

 us from the vicar, who said : 



" Wages rather exceed twelve shillings a week, with 

 cider " ; and he added, " there is reason to hope that some of 

 the money earned is finding its way into the savings bank, 

 particularly at harvest and haymaking time, when the wages 

 average a pound a week." 



A rich agricultural district, in the centre of which is 

 the parish of Norton Fitzwarren, had also, on the whole, 

 materially advanced ; and we received the following 

 communication from a large farmer and starch manu- 

 facturer there. He wrote : 



" Wages in this parish have advanced about two or three 

 shillings since 1870; and the following is a fair sample of 



