94 



Temporary decline amongst temporary labourers than in the resident 



and population; other correspondents, however, hold a different 

 Migratory opinion . 

 Labour. 



CHESHIRE. Mr. Ravenshaw considers that temporary 

 labourers have declined during the last twenty years to a 

 greater extent than the resident labourers, on account of the 

 use of machinery and implements. Mr. Beecroft writes : " I 

 do not think there are many less labourers employed in this 

 district during harvest. I find with the assistance of machinery 

 that fully as many men are required as previously, the produce 

 being moved much more quickly than in the past ; this being 

 so, it requires more men to deal with it in such ways that 

 machinery cannot be applied." Mr. Davies writes : " The 

 Cheshire practice is to employ Irishmen for corn harvest, 

 potato-planting, and raising; we obtain sufficient Irish now, 

 but, no doubt, fewer are required than 25 years ago. Only in 

 one small area in Cheshire are any casual or itinerant fruit- 

 pickers required." 



DERBY. Mr. Waite observes that in 1873 the Irish labourers 

 who came to the country for harvest were six times more 

 numerous than at the present time. 



STAFFORD. Mr. Carrington Smith writes : " There is a con- 

 siderable decline in the number of harvest labourers, chiefly 

 Irish. First the scythe gave way to the mowing machine and 

 afterwards the sickle to the reaping machine. By the help of 

 other machinery and by the increase of manual work done by 

 the farmer's family, both the larger breadth of hay and the 

 smaller breadth of corn are gathered mainly by the permanent 

 staff." Captain Levett states that it is difficult to get casual 

 labour, and that the Irish harvester has almost entirely dis- 

 appeared durin.ar Ihe last few years. 



WALES. 



DIVISION V. 



ANGLESEY. The number of men required for harvest is 

 stated to be much smaller owing to the use of mowing machines 

 and reapers. 



BRECON. It is not considered that labourers temporarily 

 employed have declined to any greater extent than the others 

 during the past twenty years. 



CARDIGAN. Temporary labourers are now but little em- 

 ployed, and have probably declined to a greater extent than 

 the resident labourers. Some who have obtained suitable 



