Harvest Wages in 1899. 



359 



wages. An employer writes from Gloucestershire that 

 "a lot of the corn was fit to cany straight from the binders 

 without stocking.' ' 



In the majority of cases in the districts for which returns 

 have been received, the harvest was over before the begin- 

 ning of September, and in some of the South Western 

 counties in the first half of August. 



In the great corn-growing counties of Cambridgeshire, 

 Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire the average cash 

 earnings per man for the entire harvest are estimated, on the 

 basis of the returns received, at £j 11s., and in the Midland, 

 Home, Southern and South Western counties grouped 

 together at £4 12s. 



In addition to cash payments, beer or cider is given in a 

 number of cases, and sometimes light refreshments, such as 

 tea, bread, butter, and cheese. Overtime is also sometimes 

 paid for. In Norfolk and Suffolk is. is often given for hiring* 

 money, and also "horkey" money, i.e., about 2s. 6d., for a 

 supper at harvest. 



Taking the case of Norfolk and Suffolk, where the usual 

 custom is to pay a lump sum for the harvest, the rates gene- 

 rally varied from £6 10s. to £j. In some cases rather lower, 

 in others rather higher rates were paid. Sometimes a 

 certain number of acres is allotted to each man, and some- 

 times not. If the weather is not favourable for harvest work 

 employers often employ their men at other work at the 

 ordinary rate of weekly wages. A large employer of labour 

 in Suffolk states that he paid £7 to about 100 men on the 

 farms he manages, this being the same amount as he paid 

 last year. Each man was paid £j for 13 acres, and in 

 addition was given 3 bushels of malt and 3 lbs. of hops. 

 Ten shillings an acre was given for cutting and carting 

 every acre over the 13 stipulated acres. Frequently the 

 harvest was completed in 16 to 20 working days, and in 

 some cases in less. In most cases in these counties it was 

 over before the end of August. A report from the Forehoe 

 Union of Norfolk states "that the harvest of 1899 has been 

 the lightest and quickest on record, and plenty of farmers 

 were little over 14 days." 



