Page:The farm labourer in 1872.djvu/30

 not advance one word or statement that is not founded on strict practical experience.

In most districts, I might almost say on nearly every large farm, something of that obtains, in the allowances made to shepherds for their care and trouble in the lambing season; this can be easily extended to stockmen and some others. The difficulties in the way of a general application of the principle arise partly from absence of strict accounts and partly owing to the uncertain effect of weather and seasons. It must be left to every farmer for himself to work out how best to put such a plan into practice—but certain I am that every farmer who in these days wishes to make farming profitable, would do well to consider how to give to every labourer on his farm some sort of an interest in the profits of that farming.

By some such means as these described above, it is in the power of farmers as well as landlords to mend this matter, and gradually to improve the position of their labourers, without any very great cost or outlay.

Let all have opportunities of rising and improving their condition. Let the best men feel that they are not dragged down to the levelment of the worst, and let all perceive that it depends on their own exertions whether they rise or not. But don't suppose from anything herein contained, that you can go down into a pauperised district, where a total disregard of the