Farming of Dorsetshire. 
445 
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In some localities the labourer gets liis cottage rent free, with 
fuel and potato-ground (generally 40 rods), and, where heaths 
abound, the labourer cuts his sods, and the farmer carries them 
in. The potato-ground is cleaned and ploughed and dunged by 
the farmer, the seed being supplied by the labourer-. With these 
adjuncts the condition of the labourer, even if he receive only 
7*. a week in money wages, is far better than it stands in public 
estimation. A county magistrate, who has paid much attention 
to the subject, says of the Dorsetshire labourers, "a more civil, 
obliging, and well-conducted peasantry does not exist in Eng- 
land. They are indeed terribly addicted to beer, but intoxica- 
tion is not very prevalent, though a mower will often drink two 
gallons of beer a day.'" * 
^ The establishment of various Agricultural Societies and of 
Farmers' Clubs at ^yinfrith andBlandford has done good service 
to agriculture of late years. At Dorchester, Blandford, Stur- 
minster, Sherborne, Stalbridge, AVareham, annual meetings of 
agricultural societies are hclcl, at which either prizes for stock 
or rewards for industry, and in some cases both, are distributed. 
Some of these associations have several meetings in the year, 
when ploughing, reaping, mowing, shearing, hedging and 
* Clothing Clubs for the labourers are very general in Dorsetshire, on the 
penuy per week system ; and wives' clubs for providing against the day of travail 
are to be found in many parishes, and are with the coal clubs of great value. To 
render this system perfect, all that is needed is to establish the penny bank sj'stem 
PORTJIAN. 
VOL. X\ . 2 G 
