Management of a Home Farm. 
267 
tunity is thus afforded for those who wish to better themselves in 
the worhl to do so. Referrin<^ to but the past three or four years 
of our own experience, in this respect, we can at this moment 
point to various hands now in a higher position, who availed 
themselves of such opportunities. One is managing a farm for 
a widow lady near Coventry ; another is bailiff to a gentleman 
in Wilts ; a third is foreman to a good farmer in another locality ; 
a fourth and a fifth are in charge of lads at a reformatory insti- 
tution ; a sixth is assistant teacher in a district-school ; two are 
engine drivers, one a railway porter, while nearly a dozen boys 
have moved to better positions. Were we allowed to suggest, 
we would say. Never take on a permanent hand without obtaining a 
satisfactory written character, and never part tcith a man without 
furnishing him with a similar document, if he is tcorthg of it. Show 
men that character is of value in the world. Looking further back, 
we may refer to another case, in which three young men were all 
employed at the same farm, earning at that time — for wages were 
low — but nine or ten sliillings per week. Of these three, one 
has done well in the Colonies, another is resident agent to a 
Berkshire baronet, and the third is bailiff to a nobleman in one 
of the midland counties. 
Good hands for drilling, ploughing, stacking, &c., with a first- 
class shepherd and cowman, should be found upon every home- 
farm. The other appointments will then match one another ; 
the team will be well-fed and lively-going ; the harness well-kept, 
with a spice of display about it ; the stock will have an air of 
comfort ; and the implements will be in good order, and in their 
proper places. 
But there is one drawback in having wages higher than the 
current rate of the district — the difficulty of setting piecework 
to the hands, unless at a somewhat extravagant price. Now, 
piecework should of all things be cultivated, wherever practicable ; 
i-t has many advantages both for employer and employed : and 
not the less, because slack hands (for such will get in among 
others) have an idea that it is not needful to work quite so hard 
for the squire as for other employers. It is an excellent and 
praiseworthy plan to let the hands off on Saturday afternoon, say 
at four o'clock, summer and winter. It is a boon which they 
will value, its loss to the employer is not appieciable, and it 
affords an example worthy of imitation. 
Upon the owner himself a beneficial influence will assuredly 
be exerted, if he gives moderate attention to the farm in his own 
occupation. He gets a greater insight into rural affairs, he is 
better able to judge of all that pertains thereto, and he can more 
readily sympathise with the losses which his tenants at any time 
experience. 
