The method of rationing the cider varies, and is by no means easy. Some have a barrel tapped in the barn and tell tne men they can help themselves to as much as they want. Others give out a strictly rationed quantity per day, either to each man or to the men as a whole, leaving it to them to share fairly among themselves. This latter plan a farmer found to be unsatisfactory, and soon dropped it. When it came to haymaking time he put out a 4%-gallon barrel at the rick for the use of five men during he day, Anybody would think that was enough, but by midday it was all gone and there was a demand for more by evening it was clear that unless a further ration was forthcoming none of the men would work overtime.
If there is a communal cask, particularly as regards outside labour, there is a tendency for each man to drink as much and as often as possible in order to get it before the others. This leads to waste of precious time behind the rick as each load goes in. Better was the old custom, referred to by Thomas Hardy, of blowing a horn when refreshment was considered necessary.
Finding the communal barrel a failure, a farmer tried putting a hogshead at their disposal, and told them to help themselves as they wanted cider. This should and did, banish the evil of "covetousness," since there was ample for all. As an added precaution, he watered the cider in the secret hours of darkness. It was understood, of course, that there was to be no selling to or treating of friends. The plan answered well till he was horrified to hear that one of the men gave this mildly potent drink io his children. So now they follow the plan of reserving a hogshead for the men, and deputing one of them to give out a bottled ration. to each of them.
Cider, like many other farm privileges, keeps labour on the land contented, and thus is not altogether a bad thing, so long as it is controlled to prevent abuse and inefficient work. Moreover, made under modern conditions, it is a healthier and milder drink than the old-fashioned rough cider.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.