The Agricultural Labourer. 775 = 509 
lole period of harvest. I think some statement of this kind is 
cessary, in order to show that any argument derived from the 
(irent weekly wages common in the district, and which are 
would give a very false idea of this man's real position. 
le man in question, if asked, would probably assert that his 
' g-es were 155. a week ; and inasmuch as that is the standard 
( wages for ordinary work upon the farm in question, he would 
I so far justified in his statement. An examination of the Illustration of 
1 )ks of the master, however, would show that they frequently es'often 
; ounted, even in winter, to as much as 21s. a week, and that earned °by*able 
f dependent of harvest) the average earnings of himself and men. 
lily during the summer months were about 1/. 10s. per week. 
ere are doubtless plenty of cases where, owing to circum- 
snces, to inability on the one hand or indolence on the other, 
t standard of weekly pay is seldom exceeded at the ordinary 
s sons of the year, but the case I have quoted is probably by no 
I ans a rare one, and I think it is valuable as throwing some 
1 ht upon the question of the real wages of a working man in 
aaedium-paid district. Here are the actual sums paid by the 
finer to this man and his family in the past year : — 
Earnings of John Jones and Family from Michaelmas, 1876-7. 
£ s. d. 
39 17 0 
4 16 10 
5 9 5 
12 8 4 
5 11 4 
24 17 101 
4 0 0 
£97 0 9i 
he average earnings of this family were, therefore, 11. 17s. 3^d. 
p week. It is somewhat difficult, of course, to separate from 
tl. account the actual earnings of the man himself, since in 
h vest he laboured with his family ; but putting his average 
e.- lings during that period at the sum I named above, viz. 10s. 
a ly, we have about 21s. per week as the nett produce of his 
0 1 bodily labour. I think these figures render it no longer 
d' btful that a good working man at the present day, even in 
tl lower-wage districts, takes his fair share of the produce of 
tl soil ; and I can scarcely imagine that, without capital, he 
cdd in any other capacity turn his labour to more profitable 
anunt in the tillage of the land. I should, perhaps, add that 
th man pays a rent of 51. a year for an excellent cottage and a 
r 1 of garden land adjoining, and that in addition he generally 
si a few sacks of potatoes upon the farm, the land being 
Man, 47 weeks (average earnings 17s.) 
Wile, occasional earnings 
Girl, occasional summer work .. 
Elder boy, constant work 
Younger boy, summer and occasional 
Harvest account 
Gleanings 
