Agricultural Wages 121 



in the period from 1642 to 1702 there is 

 the beginning of a striking change that 

 is still more adverse to agriculture. At 

 this time the best agricultural labour begins 

 to receive less than the ordinary unskilled 

 labour in the towns in other occupations ; 

 e.g., the hedger and ditcher gets less than 

 the labourer or the artisan. In the eight- 

 eenth century the carpenter receives more 

 than double the agricultural labourer, and 

 common, unskilled labour also obtains 

 nearly 50 per cent, more than the best 

 agricultural labour, and during the nine- 

 teenth century practically the same results 

 are found. That is to say, in the course 

 of some six centuries in England, the 

 relative depression in the wages of 

 agriculture is considerable and continuous. 

 The experience of other countries gives 

 similar results. One more example may be 

 given. The Massachussets Bureau of Labour 



