How the upward ladder is used, was well explained by a Mr. John Standring, himself a holder of ten acres, before the Select Committee of the House of Commons on Small Holdings in 1889. It is first to be noticed, however, that the general level of wage is exceptionally high for a purely agricultural district at a considerable distance from any considerable town. The customary wage, I was informed in 1903, was 3_s._ per day. Mr. Rider Haggard, in 1901, found it “2_s._ 9_d._ a day for day men, 18_s._ a week for horsemen, and 16_s._ a week, with cottage, for garth-men. Men living in the house with foremen and owners receive about £24 per annum and food, and horsemen £30 per annum and food.” But when the labourer who has been living in marries and takes a cottage, he also takes up a holding in the fields. He begins with one “land,” then takes a second, a third, and so on. The following table, showing the way in which land is held in the parish of Epworth, was submitted to the Select Committee[14] by Mr. J. Standring:-- Of holdings over 200 acres there are 2 occupiers. ″ ″ 100 ″ and under 200, there are 12 occupiers. ″ ″ 50 ″ ″ 100 ″ 14 ″ ″ ″ 20 ″ ″ 50 ″ 31 ″ ″ ″ 10 ″ ″ 20 ″ 40 ″ ″ ″ 2 ″ ″ 10 ″ 115 ″ ″ ″ ½ ″ ″ 2 ″ 80 ″ [14] Report, p. 189. The eighty holders occupying from half an acre to two acres would all be men in regular employment, as a rule, agricultural labourers. A body of these sent their deposition to the Select Committee in the following form:-- “We, the undersigned, being agricultural labourers at Epworth, are in occupation of allotments or small holdings, varying from 2 roods to 3 acres, willingly testify to the great benefit we find from our holdings. Where we have sufficient quantity of land to grow 2 roods each of wheat, barley and potatoes, we have bread, bacon, and potatoes for a great part of the year, enabling us to face a long winter without the dread of hunger or pauperism staring us in the face.” But the more enterprising of these labourers do not rest content with so small a holding, and these pass into the next class, those who hold up to 10 acres. “Many such,” says Mr. J. Standring, “keep a horse and a cow and a few pigs. And on some of the stronger land two or three of these will yoke their horses together and work their own land, and also land belonging to other men similarly situated who do not keep horses. As a rule they have done very well--I scarcely know a failure.” The payment for horse-hire is usually made in labour.