if]
I fi
1 0 0 CHANNEL ISLANDS:
tant, and so valuable, is this manure deemed, that its
equal distribution has been the subject of many legislative
enactments. Among others, it is forbidden to
carry away vraic between sun-set and sun-rise,—in
order, probably, to secure an equal chance of appropriation
to those living in the interior, as to those on
the sea shore; and in the western parishes, on the
shores of which, the westerly winds drive, at times,
vast quantities of sea-weed, the law establishes the
mode of division amongst those who reside in these
parishes.
But the largest and most valuable supply of vraic is
not obtained by the chance contribution of the tid e ;
hut is taken from the rocks on which it grows, at two
seasons of the year, fixed by the Royal Court of the
island. The vraic is used as a manure, either fresh
from the rock, or, after it has been used as fuel. The
former is considered to be the most efficient, as a
' manure on grass lands; but for other crops it is generally
preferred burnt.
In a very early morning ride through the country,
one is apt to imagine that everywhere the Jersey
farmer and his household are astir, even before daybreak
; for one descries the smoke rising from every
farm-house, and from almost every cottage. But this
is owing to the custom of never extinguishing the
vraic fire : nor would there be any economy in a
contrary practice, since the consumption of fuel, is the
manufacture of manure.
It has already been said, that ownerships of land
being generally small, the proprietor and his family,
with occasional assistance from neighbouring proprietors,
in very many cases perform the whole labour.
Since wealth however has increased, and an improved
and more experimental husbandry has been introduced,
hired labour has become more common.
The following table exhibits the price of labour at
four different periods, 1775, 179’2, 1813, and 1833.
The three first are given in Mr. Quail’s report, the
last, is stated from my own information.
1775. 1792. 1813. 1833.
s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d.
- 1 4 i 5 0 3 6
- 1 0 •i 4 0 2 9
- 0 5 ---- 1 6 1 3 to 1 6
- 0 5 2 0 3 0 to 3 6
- 1 0 4 0 4 0
Master Carpenter - -
Journeyman ditto - -
Carpenter’s Apprentice -
Gardener, with board -
Thatcher - - - - -
Weeding women employee
husbandry, with board
Ditto, without board - -
Mason superintending work
Mason - - - - - - -
Day Labourer, with board -
1 0 1 0
1 3 1 10 5 0
3 0 5 0 1 6
0
3
2
1
6
6 to 4
9
8 to 2
0
Some Frenchmen work for Is., and Frenchwomen for lOd. per day.
It remains for me to say a few words respecting the
live stock of Je rsey: and this to the English reader,
who has heard so much of the cow of these islands
commonly called the Alderney cow—will probably be
the most interesting topic connected with Jersey agriculture.
The islands are particularly tenacious of their claims
in this matter. Each contends for the superiority of
its own breed: but there is no reason to doubt, that
the breed of all the islands is originally the same;
though, from the system pursued by the agricultural
society of Guernsey, the breed of that island now
'im
!?iT'’'