The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-06-20
A Good Opportunity for Land
OWHerS.

the Orangcburg Agricultural and Me.
chanical Association is now on visit to
friends and relatives in tho west of Eng
land. AT meeting of the Board of
Directors held shortly before his dcpar-
ture, he introduced the subject Of obtain
ing additional labor, and kindly offered
to further any plan for the encourage
mcnt OF foreign immigration that might
seem practieablc- After considerable
discussion, the Board resolved, in ac-
ccpting his suggestions and assistance to
Recommend the plan set forth in this
article to the planters and la:.d owners
OF Orangeburg County,
The west Of England teens with
thrifty and industrious farming popula.
ton, such as would be cSpccia lily vulua
bic in our srarsely settled County.
Many are actuatcd by spirit Of Enter
prise, and are d1sirous Of trying their
fortunes in the New World across the
waters.
In England, the average wages of
common farm hand is about Els per
X.ar, ..s5 s4H-s 29g currency 77sslQ0 with
food and lodging lound: for servant
waman, to attend to a dairy, cooking.
washing, &c, about Gl2 per year (say
SGG.); for boy, or half hand, say $50
rcr year, and found as above. They
live III the same house with their en-.
ploycr, have special sleeping apartments
and take their meals in the kitchen.
Their food consists principally of wheat
bread, cheese beans irish potatoes and
meat with beer or cider. They aellom
use either tea or coffee, kind of licht
beer which is made in that country
bring their usual beverage instead.
1t is the custom of English farrer to
empl oy one man, one woman aud one
boy as servants, who live on the premi
ses. The majority Of the laborers live
in cottages near the farms where thcy
work, for which cottage they oay{ rent
from ~ to G6 per year, according to
size and convenience. This is in our
money, from 81 TO S3 per month. They
hire thoir services to the farmers by the
day or week, and during the busy sea-
son command the following wages, viz:
Good hands i'll harvest time from lG to
u shilling per week, say So to 81.
Mowers get from to 6 shillngs per day
say 81 so for days work Women du
ring harvest get about l8 pence per day
about 10 cents. These wages are paid
only during the busy cason;-aiter har
vest time, and during the winter there
is very little demand for Agricultural
labor Undertaking, hedging and
dtching, aud breaking up lands whom
the frost will permit are about all
that can be done in winter, outside of
the regular work done by the perma.
ment hands on the rarm, who are eener.
ally man, u woman und bow, as
above stated.
A great deal of attention is pail to
sheep raising, good shcp herds get stca
dy employment at about II shllinys a
week, say 1878, with extras during lamb
ing time.
The principal products are hay, wheat
oats, rye barley, irish potatoes turuips
and beets.
The foregoing sketch, from data fur
nished by DR. Barton will give general
idea Of the probable expections of such
laborcrs, should they come among us to
seek employment and homes.
1t is to be remembered that the eli.
mate Of England like that of the North
ern States Of the Union, does not admit
Of field labor but for part of the year;
and it will be noticed that laborers are
paid more or less, according as they are
engaged for single day, week or IA
longer period. The wages arc some
times paid in money, sometimes partly
in money, and partly in SO much beer or
cider; in other respects laborors by the
day or week find themselves 1t is to
be presumed that in a climate such as
ours, whereby steadier employment ror
a longer season may hbe assured, that
the wages would be proportionatcly less