There are in Morwenstow about six thousand acres of arable land, rented by seventy farmers; forty large, and thirty small.
There are less than sixty able-bodied labourers, and twenty-five half-men, at roads, etc.
With this proportion of one labourer to a hundred acres, there can be no lack of employ.
The rate of wages is eight shillings a week, paid, not in money, but by truck of corn.
A fixed agreement of a hundred and thirty-five pounds of corn, or eighteen gallons (commonly called seven scores), is allotted to each man in lieu of fourteen shillings, be the market price what it will.
A man with a wife and three or four children will consume the above quantity of corn in fourteen days.
Therefore, such a man, receiving for his fortnight’s work fourteen shillings’ worth of corn, will only leave in his master’s hand one shilling a week, which one shilling usually is paid for house-rent.
Now, this inevitable outlay for the loaf and for the rent will leave—for fuel, for shoes, for clothing, for groceries, for tools, for club ... nil: 0l. 0s. 0d.
But, but. But in the year 1860-61, the fourteen shillings paid for that corn will only yield in flour and meal ten shillings and sixpence, the millers being judges.
“If a man have only a wife and two children to house and feed, his surplus money above his bread and rent will be one shilling (?) a week beyond the above example.” But, but, in the recited list of exigencies, will that suffice?