Agricultural Wages 1 1 1 



always remained, and in relation to the 

 landlord, have improved their position. 



If we apply this test of differentiation to 

 agricultural labour during the last fifty 

 years we find a notable advance. In 

 England and Wales the regular employment 

 of women in agriculture has practically 

 ceased; the children who formerly began 

 to work at six or seven, and sometimes in 

 "gangs," are now at school up to double 

 that age ; of the men we have higher and 

 lower classes, according to capacity ; those 

 in charge of animals and machinery have 

 increased relatively, and they obtain higher 

 wages. As regards the lowest classes, there 

 is no longer a superabundance of cheap 

 labour fed on the rates and only fully 

 employed in times of exceptional pressure. 

 In many districts agricultural labour is 

 relatively scarce, instead of being in all 

 superabundant. It is owing to this relative 



