On Measure Work. 
121 
These details, collected by Sir John Cullum, thoup:h in some 
measure foreign to my subject, sufficiently prove that our present 
practice of letting out piece-work is far from being a modern one ; 
and the manner in which it was conducted has in all probability 
remained in many respects without any great alteration. From 
these records we may also make a comparison — as Sir J. Cullum 
has done — of wages anciently paid, with those of the present 
time. 
A system of measure-work may be used with advantage to the 
farmer, in almost every kind of agricultural labour, with the ex- 
ception of that in which horses or other cattle are particularly 
engaged : other exceptions are jobs of short duration, and the 
tending of sheep or cattle. 
Piece-work holds out to the labourer an increase of wages as 
a reward for his skill and exertion, and as he knows that all 
depends upon his own diligence and perseverance, he becomes 
more interested in his employment than the day-labourer. The 
task-worker is also more independent in his character, which 
arises from the knowledge that so long as he performs his work 
to the satisfaction of his master, he is not under that control to 
which the day-labourer is always subject. But though the 
labourer by task-work will not require the eye of his employer 
to stimulate him to industry, he must not in any way be allowed 
to abuse the confidence placed in his honesty, by slighting or 
hurrying over his work. Regular taskmen, however, are much 
less likely to be careless than day-labourers only casually set to 
work by the piece, and to prevent deception, as well as to acquire 
a knowledge of the value of labour, the keeping correct accounts is 
absolutely necessary : this is generally done by means of a journal 
in which the employment of the men is entered every day, and 
the amount of money advanced at the time of payment. By 
adopting this plan, the sum earned per day may easily be ascer- 
tained, and a fair price be adjusted between master and man. 
Another way will be for the farmer to take the quantity of work 
done by a day-labourer in a given time, and from this calculate 
the price to be paid by task. However, there must always be an 
uncertainty attending this, arising from circumstances over which 
the farmer has no control ; and we must be guided in fixing a 
price by the nature of the soil in some operations, and in others 
by the bulkiness of the crop : work in which the spade or shovel 
is used, such as draining, ditching, filling soil into carts, trench- 
ing, and digging, the nature of the soil will affect the quantity of 
labour ; mowing, reaping, and all harvest operations, whether with 
corn, hay, or roots, will depend in a great measure upon the 
bulk of the crop. 
