GANGS, AGRICULTURAL, a name specially given to companies of women, and boys and girls, brought rr for labor in the fan-districts of England, or.the low and level tracts which lie s. of theWash in the counties of Lincoln, Cambridge, Norfolk, Suf folk, and Rutland. Not many years ago, the part of the country referred to was a marsh. Dikes and canals have, however, been constructed to drain it, and it has been converted into one of the most fertile agricultural districts of England. It might have been expected that when covered with corn-fields an agricultural population would have spread into it, and that houses would have been erected for their accommodation. This, however, is not the case. English landlords shunned the responsibility incurred under the poor-law, by the erection of houses for laborers. The reclaimed land was accord ingly cultivated by laborers from the villages, which are numerous on the high ground that borders it. To save expense, they consisted, as much as possible, of women, girls, and boys. They worked in gangs, and as many as 27,000 persons were so employed. Among the last acts passed at the close of the session 1866-6.7 was one for the regula lation of agricultural gangs. It provided that no woman or child was to be employed
in the same gang with men or boys, and that no woman or girl was to be employed in any gang under a male gang-master, unless a woman licensed to act as superintendent was also present with the gang. The act was received with hearty approval in the districts chiefly concerned, and its effect has been most salutary. The inquiry which . preceded it led to the appointment of a commission in 1867, to inquire into the employ ment of children and women in agriculture, with the view of ascertaining how far the principles of the factory acts can lie applied to them, and especially with a view to the better education of the children. One result of the evidence obtained was the passing of the agricultural children bill, on Aug. 5, 1873, which directs that no child shall lie employed in agriculture under the age of 8; that none shall be employed between the ages of 8 and 10, who cannot produce a certificate of 250 attendances at school in the previous year; and none between the ages of 10 and 13 who cannot produce a certificate of 150 attendances.