11 



earnings per week per man, which was 11*8 per cent, in 

 1871-81, was only 1'3 per cent, in 1881-91, and barely ex- 

 ceeded 5 per cent, in the decade preceding 1901. It would 

 appear therefore that the demand for farm labour has been 

 restricted as the supply has declined, and that something like 

 an equilibrium has been so far maintained. How far this will 

 continue, and what are the influences which are tending, or 

 may tend, to disturb it, is the question on which the reports now 

 presented may throw some light. 



It will be observed that there is a very large degree of The causes 

 consonance in the varying tones of the reports. The causes of decline, 

 assigned naturally fall into two categories, viz. : 



(a) those which occasion a diminished demand; and 

 (&) those which account for a reduced supply. 



Correspondents differ in being more impressed by one or the 

 other side of the question, and local conditions accentuate 

 particular impulses, but, broadly speaking, the main features 

 of the movement are very similar throughout the country. 



Dealing first with the causes assigned for a smaller demand Diminished 

 for labour on the farms, the compulsion put upon farmers to demand, 

 reduce their expenditure by reason of low prices and diminished 

 capital is very commonly referred to. They have altered their 

 methods of farming so far as possible with the view of econo- 

 mising labour. The most important change, which is referred 

 to in the reports from practically every county from Cornwall 

 to Caithness, is the laying down of land to grass. The loss of 

 2,000,000 acres of arable land in Great Britain in the twenty 

 years 1881-1901 probably threw out of work from 60,000 to 

 80,000 labourers at least during that period. 



It is clear, however, that the withdrawal of the plough from Arable land 

 an extent of land as large as Hampshire and Somerset and labour, 

 put together, has only partially accounted for the re- 

 duction of labour. Indeed, if the figures be examined in 

 local detail as given for each county in Tables I. and II. it 

 will be observed that the relation between the decrease of arable 

 land and the diminution of labourers varies greatly. This 

 may be illustrated graphically, as in the following diagram. 

 Taking the Census year 1871 as a basis of comparison, and 

 assuming that the returns for that year are represented by 

 100 in each case, the relative changes which have taken place 

 in the number of labourers and the acreage of arable land are 

 represented in percentages of the 1871 figures. Curves 

 similarly drawn have been added to show the changes in the 

 number of cattle and sheep respectively. 



