of solid food. Some, however, who are
pretty well off, and have a better idea of the luxuries of the table,
regale themselves on collared head, or rolled beef, or ham at breakfast.
These hams are usually preserved after a family receipt, and some of
them are exquisite. After breakfast the farmer walks round the place,
watches the men at work for a few minutes, and gives them instructions,
and then settles himself down to some job that requires his immediate
superintendence. If it is hay-time he takes a rake and works about the
field, knowing full well all the difference that his presence makes.

The agricultural labourers, both men and women, are a slow set, never in
a hurry; there is none of that bustle characteristic of the town people,
even of the lowest class. They take every opportunity of leaning upon
the prong-handle, or standing in the shade--they seem to have no idea of
time. Women are a sore trial to the patience of the agriculturist in a
busy time. If you want to understand why, go and ensconce yourself
behind a hedge, out of sight but in view of a field in which ten or
twelve women are hoeing. By and by a pedlar or a van comes slowly along
the turnpike road which runs past the field. At the first sound of
footsteps or wheels all the bent backs are straight in an instant, and
all the work is at a standstill. They stand staring at the van or tramp
for five or six minutes, till the object of attention has passed out of
sight. Then there is a little hoeing for three or four consecutive
minutes. By that time one of them has remembered some little bit of
gossip, and stops to tell her nearest fellow-workwoman, and the rest at
once pause to listen. After a while they go on again. Now another
vehicle passes along the road, and the same process of staring has to be
gone through once more. If a lady or gentleman pass, the staring is
something terrific, and it takes quite ten minutes to discuss all the
probabilities as to who they were, and where they were going. This sort
of thing goes on all day, so that, in point of fact, they only do half a
day's work. The men are not so bad as this; but they never let slip an
opportunity for pausing in their work, and even when at work they do it
in a slow, dawdling, lack-energy way that is positively irritating to
watch. The agriculturist has in consequence plenty to do to keep his
eye on them, and in the course of the day he walks over his farm
half-a-dozen times at least. Very f