234

ON THE RURAL ECONOMY

in money, with six bolls of oatmeal, was, at that time, (about1791), the yearly wages of an ordinary servant, the husband-depending upon the aid of his wife, for rearing their family,from her gains by spinning, working of nets, and, when nearthe sea-coast, assisting in the fisheries. But it now appears,that the annual gains of an ordinary farm-servant will amountto about L. 20 Sterling, every thing included

In several of the Highland districts, regular farm-servants,in many situations, are almost unknown. The farmers, ormore properly speaking, the cottagers, depend entirely upontheir own personal labour, and that of their families, whilethe gentlemen get their operations carried on by crofters andtheir families, according to the terms of agreement for thecrofts, or lots of land, the work being chiefly demanded du-ring hay or corn harvest. This system, however, is goingfast into disuse, and will be gradually renounced as improve-ments are introduced.

In those parts of Inverness-shire, and other northern dis-tricts wherever a regular system of agriculture is carried on,married servants receive from L. 10 to L. 12 of money, withsix bolls of oatmeal, and ground for planting potatoes; andin some instances also the maintenance of a cow. In Rossand Cromarty they receive from L. 6 to L. 9, and six or sixand a half bolls of oatmeal per annum and in some casesground for potatoes, and a Scotch pint or half a pintof milk a-day, from Whitsunday to Martinmas . Unmarriedfarm-servants, and there are few of any other description em-ployed in Argyleshire, receive from L. 8 to L. 14< per annum,with victuals in the house of the farmer. Shepherds havesix and a half bolls of oatmeal, with grass for one or twocows, and sixty or seventy sheep. Women-servants in Ar-gyleshire have from L. 3 to L .5 per annum , with victuals: inthe northern districts they receive about 20 s. a-year less.

In the Hebrides , the price of labour is very differentin the southern and northern islands. In the former, a

• Ciithness Report, p. 250.