LIFE ON THE LAND
Sln,—The news that agricultural labourers are to have £3 in cash weekly draws attention to a skilled occupation open to all who desire to spend their lives happily in their country's service. In the country parish where I lived for 4o years I can remember the days when the cash payment was x2s. a week. Two of the agricultural labourers (one a shepherd) thrived so well that they became tenant farmers—one (who had brought up a large family) bought his farm. As in the Army, it is not only the pay but the allowances which count and it is presumed that with the £3 will go the old allowances, e.g., milk, wood for firing, turnips, eggs;•rabbits, a small rent, land for potato planting with dressing from the farm yard, additional money (a) when taking a load of corn off the farm, (b) when working on the cutter, (c) at harvest time. Hay time, too, provides additional money. The facilities open to members of the labourer's family for earning money at neighbours' houses are good—washing is a paying job.
A farm labourer's work is varied and interesting. He is free at 5 p.m. and is then able to enjoy either his gramophone indoors or bicycle out of doors. He has no responsibility for any failure of crops and returns home in the evening not too tired to work in his garden. It is to be hoped that many will qualify for the position of trust which a farm labourer occupies by learning the many complicated crafts used to the great benefit of farmers.—Yours faithfully,
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