Profit-Sharing in Agriculture. 
779 
Mr. Boyd Kinnear, in a letter to tlie Agricultural Gazette of 
i November 30, states that some five or six years ago lie was 
' obliged, owing to tie drop in rents, to take some of his farms in 
hand in the county of Fife. He felt that there was a want of a 
bond of common interest between master and man. He, there- 
' fore, told his employes that he would give to them, in addition 
to the wages current in the market, a bonus in the shape of a 
percentage upon their wages, out of profits which might remain 
after he had received a sum equal to the reduced rent which a 
tenant would give, besides interest on his capital and a salary 
for superintendence and direction. 
The profits ascertained after making these payments he 
divides between his labourers and himself in the proportion of 
the market value of their respective interests — theirs being 
represented by wages — his by rent and interest on capital. 
The second year he was able to distribute a bonus of 3 
per cent, on their wages ; the third year one of 5 per cent. ; the 
fourth year a similar bonus. In respect of the current year, he 
fears that, owing to the shortness of the crops on account of 
summer di'ought, there may be a reduction ; but he hopes that 
the figures may gradually tend to rise, instead of fall, as time 
goes on. Mr. Boyd Kinnear concludes his letter by observing : — 
" I cannot say tliat this system has made my servants work better, for I 
have already said they worked faithfully and well before it. But it has, I 
think, established a sympathy between us, a sense of joint interests, a feeling 
of ' being all in the same boat,' a recognition that they are dealt with fairly 
and equitably (possibly, perhaps, generously), which has brought an ample 
reward in pleasant relations, anxiety to do the best to guard against any 
mischances, and to fall in with my wishes as tO any new methods or experi- 
ments which I desire undertaken. I can turn my back, or even leave home 
for weeks, with perfect confidence that the same care will be exercised (to 
the best of the ability and powers of observation) as if I were present. And 
as I cannot afford the luxury of a manager under me this item is a very 
great comfort. In short, while we are still in the relation of master and 
servants, we have become in the best sense of the word co-operators — and I 
think friends." 
Lord Wantage is also applying profit-sharing principles, 
with considerable advantage to his employes, to a large Bonanza 
farm of 4,900 acres in Berks : 1^900 acres of this large farm, 
which has been formed by the gradual consolidation of several 
smaller ones, are permanent pasture, the balance being arable. 
Lord Wantage engages the labourers at the current wages 
in the market, the only difference between the labourers on hia 
farm and other labourers being that on his farm he is in the 
habit of distributing a portion of the profits among his em- 
ployes, should they exceed a certain figure. 
The farm accounts are audited by Messrs. Kemp, Ford & Co., 
