A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



poorer soils of course suffering most. In the north of the county, as in the Hawkshead district, 

 however, some rent, have fallen 40 per cent, but even there the fall has been checked in the last 

 few years, and, generally, there is if anything an upward tendency. Owiiii; to the losses of capital 

 consequent on bad times the farms in several parts are much 'run down,' farmers not being able to 

 afford sufficient labour to cultivate them well. 



Nearly everywhere the farms are taken from 2 February, the outgoing tenant retaining 

 possession of the dwelling-house, buildings, and part of the land until I May ; in Lonsdale, land till 

 14 February, buildings till 12 May ; and yearly agreements are almost universal. 



Rates have increased in some districts enormously of late years, and there is little sign of any 

 alteration of this growing burden. 



In the country round Ormskirk and between Preston and Southport, rents for tillage and 

 pasture to-day, in the year 1907, average £z per statute acre. Near Padiham they vary from i 51. 

 to as much as £z ioj. per acre ; near Prescot arable land fetches 30J. and permanent pasture 6oj. 

 per acre ; near Kirkham 30J. an acre is the average for both ; near Hale 455. an acre for both ; 

 about Lancaster, arable 30X. to 355. pasture 25^. Accommodation land near towns of course brings 

 much higher prices than these. 



Farm buildings are generally good, though in North and South Lancashire many are old-fashioned 

 and some exceedingly bad ; but there is a great improvement since the days of Caird, and it should 

 be remembered that this improvement has taken place when agriculture has been depressed and 

 under free trade. 



Lancashire still maintains the reputation for paying high agricultural wages which it has enjoyed 

 since the development of manufactures ; carters, waggoners, and shepherds earn from 20J. to I7.s. 

 a week, ordinary labourers lyj. to 19^., and they all earn extra money in harvest time. Irish 

 itinerants are still extensively employed, especially in harvest time and potato-getting ; but women, 

 fortunately, have almost ceased working in the fields, except perhaps at getting potatoes. The 

 supply of labour, with some exceptions, is generally sufficient, except in harvest, but the quality has 

 everywhere deteriorated, good all-round men who can ditch, thatch, lay a hedge, and who understand 

 stock are becoming r.irer and rarer, and the result of education is universally described to be that the 

 young men flock to the towns, a tendency which must have the most serious consequences on the 

 country. 



The northern portion of the county appears to be worst off for labourers' cottages, elsewhere 

 the supply is good ; but in many of them the accommodation stands in decided need of improvement. 

 The rents are very high, running from is. to as much as 5;. a week, or more than double what they 

 are in many parts of England, a fact that must be considered in relation to the high wages. 



Allotments, in the usual sense of the word, are rare, many of the labourers' cottages having 

 gardens, which are far better liked than allotments. 



The ' statesman ' class has unfortunately been disappearing with increasing rapidity, and in 

 districts where there were many they are to-day practically extinct, the survivors being most numerous 

 in the northern and north-western parts of the county. The gradual extinction of this hard-working, 

 frugal, and sterling class is much to be regretted. 



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