72 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



the southerner, who works on arable land. 

 Physically, the northern man is much superior, 

 and is generally an athlete. He is come of that 

 stock which so stubbornly fought the Border 

 Wars, and now excels in wrestling, mountain 

 racing, and following the wiry foxhounds 

 among the hills. Of course, these sports only 

 offer during the scant holidays in which he 

 indulges, or in mid-winter, when there is little 

 to be done beyond tending the stock. It is 

 necessary that the northerner should be a big, 

 sturdy fellow, since the ground which he has 

 to work is rough, and be has not many helps 

 in the way of machines. 



A few years ago, and during the flourishing 

 times of agriculture, the northern labourer ob- 

 tained from £35 to £40 per annum, still, of 

 course, " living in ; " a few picked men could 

 even command £45. Now, however, that we 

 are come upon times of depression, the best men 

 are glad to work for the first-named sum. In 

 proportion, girls are much better off in the 

 matter of wages. There is probably less com- 

 petition among them, owing to the fact that 

 there is a great temptation for country girls to 

 migrate and enter service in provincial towns. 



