84 
The Labour Bill in Farming. 
The average profit, during tlie eight years, was 392Z., besides 
the interest at 4 per cent, charged in the balance sheet, A 
capital of 3800/., therefore, returned in this instance over 14 per 
cent. ; a financial result which I believe to be exceptionally 
favourable. It will be seen that the cost of labour has risen con- 
siderably during the two years last given, and 1873-4 would 
yield a still higher labour bill. Diminishing profits during the 
same period seem also to show that the increased wage-fund was 
derived from this source ; and, at anything like the rate of 
increase here indicated, the farmer's profits would soon sink to 
zero, unless some counteracting influence were introduced. 
Mr. Flatman, of Chippenham, Suffolk, who keeps very accurate 
accounts, has forwarded his figures for the 52 weeks ending March 
25th, 1874, showing an expenditure for labour of 289/. lOs. Qd. 
on a bad light-land farm of 240 acres, all arable. Mr. Flatman 
hires steam-threshing machinery, but has included all the labour 
of threshing in this sum. He also includes malt for harvestmen, 
and beer during the year. Mr. Flatman's nominal rate of wages 
was 135. weekly, but as a matter of fact his men earned, includ- 
ing harvest, 17s. 6rf. per week. The labour expenses on this 
farm being 24s. 2d. per acre, seem so low, even for light-land 
cultivation, that whatever disadvantage is attached to a small 
farm as regards labour seems, in this case, fully compensated 
by what may be called concentrated personal supervision. In 
spite of the small cost of labour, I am told that, in proportion, 
as much corn is grown on this farm as on a larger one of similar 
quality. 
Mr. Flatman's statement is a good illustration of the cost of 
light-land labour. Mr. D. K. Long, of Great Bradley, has 
given me his account of a large heavy-land farm ; and Mr. 
Robert Stephenson, of Burwell, in Cambridgeshire, is good 
enough to supply me with particulars of his own farm as an 
example of a medium or mixed soil. In all three cases the same 
year, ending Lady-day, 1874 (just previous to the strike), has 
been taken. The same nominal rate of wages was'paid in all 
three cases ; and in each case the calculation is based on the^ 
same system, including all kinds of manual labour, with malt 
xind beer, and the value of cottages, but only where they are 
rent-free. 
Mr. Long's farm contains 130 acres of pasture and 800 of 
heavy arable land. As neither Mr. Long nor Mr. Stephenson 
ever cut any meadow-hay, they have charged all the labour to 
the arable land. Upon this basis Mr. Long's labour bill amounts 
to 38s. G(/. per acre, being a total of 1539/. on 800 acres of arable, 
Mr. Long j)loughs and drains his land by steam, and thus, in his 
opinion, saves fully 6s. per acre in ploughmen's and horsekcepers ' 
