( 1Q3 = 497 ) 
CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER I.— Historical. 
Labourers present diflerent Characteristics in different Districts — Scotch Shep- 
herds compared with Labourers in Southern Tillage Districts — Northern 
Labourer superior to Southern — Irish Peasant Farmers — Term " Labourer " 
applied more generally to the Cultivator in Tillage Districts — A Eetrospect 
— Poor Law Allowances : Pauperised Labourers — Scotland exempt from 
such Customs — Process of absorption of surplus Labour gradual — Com- 
parison of Wages in 1796 and in 1850 ; and 1850 and 1870— Reasons for 
slow Advance — Farmers had command of Labour-market up to a recent 
Date — Labour Unions had worked in other Trades — Agricultural Labourers' 
Union of 1871 — Its effect in transferring surplus Labour, and on the rela- 
' tions of Farmers and their Men .. .. .. .. Vages 765-507 
CHAPTEE II.— Wages and Expenses. 
Weekly Wages of Labourer — Condition as tested by consumption of Meat — 
Harvest Wages — Reduction of Number of Hands required rather than that 
of Wages brought about by use of Reaping Llachines — Earnings of Labourers 
still very large in Harvest — Illustration of the large Wages often earned by 
able Men — Nominal weekly AVages misleading as to cost of Work per Acre 
— Allowances to Labourers virtually mean increased Wages — Weekly 
Exijenditure of a "Hard-up" Family, and that of young unmarried 
Labourers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Pages 507-512 
CHAPTER 111.— Domestic Life. 
Improvement of Cottages of the Poor — Benefit to Community of Union 
Chargeability Act — Tendency to scattering of the Agricultural Population — 
Prize Cottages — Modern Labourers* Cottages generally provided with Gar- 
dens — Woman's Labour much in request in the North — Cows kept by 
Master for Labourers in the North — Ancient Village Cottages not generally 
comparable in accommodation to modern ones — Early Career of Youths in 
Yorkshire and in Scotland ,. .. .. .. .• ' V&ges 512-524 
