Agricultural Wages 125 



in France in the course of four centuries 

 (1400-1800) by the general impoverishment 

 of the labouring classes, which made it 

 necessary for more women to seek employ- 

 ment. And conversely, it may be said that 

 the great improvement in the prosperity 

 of the labouring classes in England in the 

 present generation is partly indicated by 

 the great decline in the numbers of women 

 engaged in agriculture. 



The employment of children tells the 

 same tale. The wages of children in agri- 

 culture have always been very low. In 

 agriculture, as in the domestic industries, 

 the parents of the children often proved to 

 be the worst tyrants. The abolition of 

 the employment of young children, and the 

 great falling off in the employment of the 

 older children in agriculture, in the present 

 generation, although not comfortable for 

 the employer, is undoubtedly a sign of 



