100 



5. To what extent have alterations in the system 

 of farming- in your district affected the demand for 

 labour ? Has any particular agricultural industry 

 such as fruit - farming 1 , vegetable - growing, poultry 

 rearing, &c., tended to check the decline in the agri- 

 cultural population ? 



ENGLAND. 



DIVISION I. 



(a.) Counties of Bedford, Huntingdon, Cambridge, Suffolk, Essex 

 Hertford, Middlesex and London. 



BEDFORD. In the neighbourhood of Biggleswade, market- 

 gardening has certainly checked the decline. 



HUNTINGDON. In the Fens the growth of vegetables is be- 

 coming the predominating feature, and creates a demand for 

 extra labour at certain seasons. Poultry-rearing is also on the 

 increase, and greater interest would be taken in it if the price 

 of eggs were more remunerative and greater facilities given for 

 carriage to the towns. 



CAMBRIDGE. On some arable farms artificial grass is left 

 down for two, three or more years, and the labour is propor- 

 tionately reduced. Most of the county is unsuited for fruit 

 farming and vegetable growing, but where these are carried 

 on there has been a check -to the decline in population, in fact, 

 labour has to be imported to a large extent as the local supply 

 is inadequate. 



CAMBRIDGE (I. OF ELY). Potato, celery, and vegetable- 

 growing have increased the demand for labour for nearly the 

 whole of the year, and this has tended to check the migration 

 which has been so marked in districts where the soil is not 

 adapted for this kind of agriculture. Women have almost 

 ceased to work in the fields, except on special occasions. 



SUFFOLK. On the one hand the changes referred to on p. 87 

 have tended to decrease the demand for labour; on the other 

 hand, there is a demand for good horsemen and milkers. Milk 

 and vegetable production are increasing near towns, and in such 

 cases the decline has been checked ; many farmers now send 

 their own carts into the towns and retail from door to door. 

 Poultry rearing is extending, but involves little increase of 

 employment. 



ESSEX. Much land has been laid to grass, thus decreasing 

 the labourers but increasing the demand for stockmen. For 

 example, Wallasea Island, which employed 60 men (with wives 

 and children) to grow corn, now employs only eight men to look 



