Farming of Northamptonshire. 



sidered to be the best off, and to have more regular work at higher 

 wages. 



Previous to the late reduction in the prices of agricultural pro- 

 duce, the rate of day wages to an able-bodied labourer was from 

 IO5. to 125. per week, with extra wages for hay and harvest time. 

 They are now reduced to from 85. to IO5., which is paid in money, 

 generally every week, many farmers paying on the Friday, to give 

 the labourers the advantage of having Saturday to make their 

 weekly purchases. Small beer is given at the rate of one quart 

 per day, and ale during hay and harvest, and for extra work. 

 Boys for driving plough get from 2s. Qd. to As. per week. The 

 wages of young men, hired to live in the house as horsekeepers or 

 shepherds, vary from 6Z. to 121. per year, according to age and 

 ability. Lads for milking get from 3/. to 5/. yearly. When 

 labourers work at piece-work, they generally earn a higher rate 

 of wages per day. 



The new poor-law has tended to lessen the parochial rates, and 

 to reduce the amount of " surplus labour." About 15 or 20 years 

 ago there would be, during the winter months, in large populous 

 villages, from 30 to 40 men and their families maintained in com- 

 parative idleness from the poor-rate ; but now the knowledge that 

 an able-bodied man in health is not to be relieved out of the work- 

 house causes all men of this class to be desirous of keeping and 

 securing a constant place of work. It also leads the farmer to make 

 some regular provision for the employment of his labourers during 

 the winter months, yet, notwithstanding this "new system" has 

 thus acted both on the minds of the employed and the employer, 

 still it does not cure the evil. Every winter we see with regret 

 young active men seeking employment and finding none ; and I 

 believe that it is to this oft-repeated want of employment that we 

 may trace much of that petty pilfering so common in our rural 

 districts. 



Very laudable and praiseworthy efforts are made by the resi- 

 dent clergy and gentry to encourage and facilitate by all possible 

 means the employment of the poor, and various local societies are 

 formed for the encouragement of provident and careful habits, by 

 the establishment of clothing, medical, and coal clubs, and other 

 kindred institutions, to which the poor contribute weekly, having, 

 in addition, the contributions of the honorary members at the 

 end of the year equally divided amongst them. The Rev. F. 

 Litchfield, of Farthinghoe, takes a deep interest in the formation 

 of clothing clubs, and has a large and flourishing one in the parish 

 where he resides. 



To the credit of the labouring men it must be stated, that they 

 maintain and support out of their scanty earnings a number of 

 provident or sick benefit clubs, and although these are often badly 



