CHAPTER XXXII

PRICES OF CONTRACT OR PIECEWORK

The following prices may be taken as approximating to those paid generally throughout the country previous to the war.

It may be well to remember, however, that in districts where unusually high or low wages are paid, so in proportion will be the contract prices for the various classes of work.

BARKING OAK: _s._ _d._ _s. d._ Barking oak per ton 21 0 Loading bark on wagons ” 3 0 Barking oak per ton of bark 30 0 Chopping bark ” 8 0 to 10 0

COPPICEWOOD: Cutting out hurdle rods per score 0 1 ” hurdle stakes per dozen 0 1 ” rake stems ” 0 1 ” spade stems ” 0 1 ” spick gads ” 0 1 ” dahlia stakes ” 0 1 ” rose stakes per two dozen 0 1 ” besom handles ” 0 1 ” kidney-bean stakes 50 in bundle 0 2 ” pea stakes per bundle 0 1 ” birchwood for besoms ” 0 1

DRAINING: _s._ _d._ _s. d._ Pipe draining, mains, 4 ft. 3 in. deep, 4 in. or 6 in. pipes per chain 3 0 to 3 6 ” ” small, 4 ft. deep, 1½ in. to 3 in. pipes ” 2 0 ” 2 9 ” ” small, 4 ft. deep, 1½ in. pipes ” 1 9 ” 2 6 Ditches, open, 36 in. wide at top, 30 in. deep, and 9 in. wide at bottom per chain 3 0 to 4 0 Scouring out ditto ” 0 9 ” 1 0 Small open ditches, 15 in. to 18 in. wide at top, 12 in. to 15 in. deep, and 9 in. wide at bottom ” 1 6 ” 2 6 Scouring out ditto ” 0 6 ” 0 9

FAGGOT-MAKING: _s._ _d._ Making faggots per 100 4 6 ” oven faggots ” 3 0 ” faggots for fire-lighting ” 1 3 Cutting bands for tying faggots ” 0 4

FELLING AND STUBBING TIMBER: _s. d._ _s. d._ Felling oak timber per ton of 40 ft. 3 0 ” other hardwoods ” ” 2 6 ” pinewood ” ” 1 6 to 1 9 Stubbing out timber ” ” 3 6 ” 4 0 Cutting underwood from 12 to 15 years’ growth per acre 9 6 ” 12 0

FENCING: _s. d._ _s. d._ Setting out and mortising 4-holed posts per score 4 0 ” ” ” 3-holed ” ” 3 0 ” ” ” 2-holed ” ” 2 6 ” ” ” 1-holed ” ” 2 0 ” and cleaving rails ” 0 10 ” ” ” stakes ” 0 6 ” ” ” long poles ” 0 6 ” ” ” short poles ” 0 4 Hanging field-gates each 4 0 to 5 0 Fixing stile ” 2 0 Preparing posts, rails and pails for tree guards per set 0 9 Fixing ditto ” 2 0 Six-wire fence larch posts and creosoted per chain 35 0 to 40 0 Fixing same ” 4 6 ” 5 0

FIREWOOD: _s. d._ _s. d._ Splitting firewood per cord 4 0 to 6 0 ” ” for charcoal ” 2 6 ” 3 0 Cutting and stacking cordwood ” 2 0 ” 3 0 Burning charcoal per bushel of 20 lbs. 0 2 Loading and spreading soil per load 0 5 ” 0 6

GATE-MAKING: _s. d._ _s. d._ Field gate, oak 5-bar 17 0 Posts per pair 23 0 Iron fastening and ironwork complete 5 9 ” Fixing 4 6 Making 5-bar oak gate 2 6 ” half gate 1 9 ” rough wickets 2 0 ” wrought wickets 3 0 Sawing hardwood per 100 ft. 3 6 to 4 0 ” softwood ” ” 2 6 ” 3 0

HEDGING: _s. d._ _s. d._ Trimming hedges, ordinary size per chain 0 9 to 1 6 Making bank for quick hedge, digging ditch and planting quick ” 7 6 ” 10 6 ” hedge, without bank or ditch, trenching ground, preparing bed and planting ” 3 0 ” 4 0 Cleaning young hedges ” 0 8 ” 0 9 Laying hedge and scouring out ditch ” 2 0 ” 3 0

HURDLE-MAKING: _s. d._ _s. d._ Making hurdles per dozen 3 6 to 4 0 ” cattle hurdles (wattle) ” 5 0 ” 6 0 ” Welsh hurdles, for sheep ” 4 0 ” 5 0

PITTING: Digging out clay per yard 0 6 ” holes for tree planting, 15 in. in diameter and 15 in. deep per 100 1 6 to 2 6 Inserting plants ” 0 6 ” 1 0 Notch planting ” 2 0 ” 3 0

PREPARING ROAD MATERIAL: Quarrying stones per yard 0 10 to 1 3 Breaking stones for roads ” 0 8 ” 1 0