Migratory 

 Labour 



few Irish come for task or piece work. There should be more Temporary 

 payment by results ; it would keep the men on the farms more 

 than anything else, make them more contented, and be to the 

 advantage of the farmer." 



WORCESTER. The employment of men in harvesting has 

 probably decreased, but the number of casual labourers em- 

 ployed for fruit and hop-picking is believed to have increased 

 considerably in the last ten years ; most of these are women 

 who come from the Black Country. Mr. Wheeler writes : "In 

 the Teme Yalley, between Tenbury and Stanford, about nine 

 miles, over 3,000 strangers were employed last September in 

 hop-picking." 



GLOUCESTER. For corn harvest few extra hands are now 

 required, owing to the use of machinery. The hop area having 

 decreased, fewer pickers are employed, but the labour is sought 

 after and wages are good. 



WILTSHIRE. Improved machinery, either as a cause or a 

 result of a diminished supply of casual labour, is now widely 

 used. " Strappers " and Irishmen formerly taken on as extra 

 hands have entirely disappeared. Mr. Squarey, however, 

 remarks: "Small tradesmen, occupiers of small holdings, 

 soldiers on leave, woodmen, and others frequently assist in 

 getting in the corn and hay harvests, turnip-hoeing, &c. The 

 strawberry industry temporarily employs an immense number 

 of women and children drawn from the small towns near which 

 the industry flourishes." 



MONMOUTH. Mr. Williams writes : " I think casual 

 labourers of any use to farmers have declined in numbers more 

 than the regular labourers, owing in some degree to the scarcity 

 of cottages, all of which are caught up by the regular 

 labourers. There is a tendency on the part of the labourer 

 who rents his own cottage to take to casual work. Of course, 

 we have plenty of tramps, but they rarely work more than a 

 day. A few men brought up in rural districts who have gone 

 to the iron and coal works have been in the habit of coming 

 back for haytime and harvest, but they are a lessening number. 

 Fruit is not grown so as to employ labour, except in rare 

 instances and generally near towns; very little of the land is 

 adapted for it. There is some fruit-picking in the orchards 

 of North Monmouthshire which used to be done by women, but 

 no women work now, and the boys are at school until nearly 

 old enough to go to urban work." 



HEREFORD. Mr. Riley considers that more labourers are 

 employed for the various harvests, but for a shorter time. 

 Many are employed in fruit and hop-picking, the number thus 

 engaged depends upon the size of the crops, but has probably 

 declined less than the resident population. On stock-breeding 

 farms very few casual labourers are now required. 



