406 Farming of Lincolnsliire. 



often be seen in the market-place during the winter ; but the 

 workmen are kept well employed throughout most part of the year. 



Judging from the statements made by Young, it seems that a 

 similar industry marked this county in his time : he speaks of 

 liincolnshire as " a county where wages are as high — probably 

 higher than in any other county in the kingdom ;" says, the 

 poor-rates are very low/' and shows that able-bodied paupers were 

 few. Hence it may be concluded that increase of employment 

 has kept pace with the increase of labouring population. Now as 

 wages are the same at the present time as in 1798-9, it will fol- 

 low that the whole expense of manual labour in 1849 is just as 

 much greater than the same expense in 1799 as the population of 

 one period exceeds that of the other ; or in other words, the whole 

 cost of manual labour has increased during fifty years in the same 

 ratio as the population. That ratio is about 87 per cent. ; for as 

 enclosures and drainage have been the chief cause of the increase, 

 the number of labourers (notwithstanding emigration) has in all 

 probability swelled equally with that of citizens in the towns. 

 By referring to the close of this Report it will be seen that the 

 rental of the county has also increased about 87 per cent, in the 

 same period : so that landlords and labourers share about equally 

 in the fruits of the agricultural improvements. But while the 

 latter who have worked are, from their increase, no better off 

 individually, the great landed proprietors (who merely own), 

 being a comparatively unincreasing class, have been individually 

 enriched. If this apportionment is in accordance with right and 

 justice, at any rate the toilmg but unprogressing poor must expect 

 to receive bounties from the landowners in some shape or other. 



Coal and clothing clubs are frequently found in the villages, 

 and there are many savings-banks. Public charities abound ; 

 endowed almshouses are frequent, and almost every parish pos- 

 sesses benefactions of money or land for periodical distribution. 

 Numerous associations exist, the sole object of which is the 

 rewarding of labourers, and in some districts are very near toge- 

 ther, — as, for instance, at Boston, Alford, Horncastle, Donning- 

 ton-on-Bain, &c. ; and premiums for workmen form also a con- 

 spicuous feature in many societies that hold shows of stock.* 

 Benefit societies are plentiful, and well supported by the labour- 

 ing population, consisting of Friendly Societies, Odd Fellows, 

 Foresters, and Shepherds' Lodges, &c., which are undoubtedly 

 of great advantage to the artizan and labourer by collecting small 

 sums from time to time, and disbursing them again as a weekly 

 allowance in the season of sickness and calamity. Of the bless- 



* Perhaps it is worth noting tliat in Lincolnshire are upwards of 17 Agricultural 

 Associations, Farmers' Clubs, and Societies ibr rewarding Labourers, and 178 mem- 

 bers of the Royal Agricultural Society, 



