89 



DIVISION II. 



(a.) Counties of Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Berks and Hants. Temporary 



and 



KENT. Immigrant labour is required for (1) corn harvest, Migratory 

 (2) fruit-picking, (3) hop-picking. Labour. 



As regards the first, the numbers have declined with the 

 decreased area under corn, and machinery is so much used that 

 little extra labour is required. 



Fruit-picking gives more employment in proportion to the 

 increased area under fruit. 



The number of hop-pickers employed is largely dependent 

 on the amount of the crop, which is most variable. 



SURREY. The number of temporary labourers has greatly 

 declined, owing not only to the laying down of grass, but to 

 the almost universal use of the self-binder. Mr. Whitley 

 writes : " Nine years ago self-binders were rare here, now they 

 are common; their advent seems to be another reason for 

 stopping the sowing of land to grass, and makes it possible to 

 so arrange that the permanent staff can manage the farms 

 throughout the year without much temporary labour; this 

 policy is slowly gaining ground." 



SUSSEX. The decrease of the corn area and the use of im- 

 proved machinery have led to a great diminution in the number 

 of casual labourers employed ; very few Irish .hands now come 

 for the corn harvest. Mr. Drewitt thinks the decline has been 

 much greater than amongst the ordinary farm labourers, owing 

 to the great rise of wages in towns. Mr. Grant, on the other 

 hand, considers that the supply of temporary labourers in pro- 

 portion to the land in cultivation is about the same. Mr. 

 Chandler thinks that, although there has been a decrease in 

 casual labour, employment during hay-making increases four 

 or five times, and during corn harvest twice in numbers. 



BERKSHIRE. Very few temporary labourers are now em- 

 ployed, except for picking fruit. The extra work at hay time 

 and harvest is accomplished with the help of machinery by the 

 permanent hands, who work overtime at these seasons. Mr. 

 Lousley is of opinion that not half the labourers are now re- 

 quired that were needed 25 years ago. 



HAMPSHIRE. While the increasing use of machinery for 

 haymaking and harvesting has caused a decline in casual 

 labour, yet, 011 the other hand, fruit-picking employs a great 

 many more than formerly. 



(b.) Counties of Nottingham, Leicester, Rutland, Nortkampto^^ 

 Buckingham, Oxford and Warwick. 



NOTTINGHAM. Mr. Smith writes : " Thirty years ago numer- 

 ous gangs of Irish and Derbyshire harvest men were employed, 

 but chiefly owing to the use of reaping machines and binders 



