complained of, although it may be observed that a weakness of limb, great turning out of the feet, and a draggling gait, is common to most of the boys, owing to being set to labor at too early an age.
Rheumatism is the chief disease complained of by men and women, arising from exposure to wet and cold, a want of cleanliness, and inadequate clothing and diet.
On the arable and woodland districts there is nothing peculiar in respect of morality; but in the hop and orchard localities, the morals of the work people is far from being well spoken of; and the cause generally assigned is this.
At the proper season, hop-pickers come from all parts of England and Ireland, and amongst them may be found unfortunate members of various classes. Great numbers go from the crowded districts of London, and they are the most vicious and refractory. These associate promiscuously together during the day, and are for the most part, herded together, if I may use the term, during the night, so long as the season of hop picking continues.
Ignorance prevails to an alarming extent among the resident laborers in this district. The school masters say that two-fifths of their scholars are regularly absent. It is quite common to meet with boys engaged on farms who cannot read or write. I have had boys in this state of ignorance working for me, and it is remarkable how eagerly they avail themselves of any favorable opportunity of learning, when proper encouragement is held out to them. The being of a God, a future state, the number of months in the year are not universally known. Superstition, the result of ignorance, in this case at least, still lurks among the laboring classes in these counties. The belief in charms for healing of bodily hurts is not uncommon.
The agricultural laborer in this district holds at present
