103 



The general opiuion obtains that the district is peculiarly suited Changes in 

 to strawberry culture, but I am not aware that any one has tried System 

 growing them commercially elsewhere in the county. My anc * Special 

 impression is that the new industry has not withdrawn labourers _ 

 from ordinary agriculture, but that a new class has been 

 attracted from the towns. A good many people with a little 

 capital, and some quite ' well-to-do ' people have come to the 

 neighbourhood to engage in the industry." 



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

 Buckingham, Oxford and Warwick. 



NOTTINGHAM. More vegetables are grown, which leads to 

 increased casual employment. Poultry rearing is believed to 

 be increasing, and between Southwell and the Trent it is stated 

 that fruit growing has extended considerably. 



LEICESTER. Mr. Bassett writes : " Leicestershire is neither 

 a fruit-farming nor a vegetable-growing county ; poultry rear- 

 ing and egg producing have increased, but rather as an adden- 

 dum than as a special industry." 



NORTHAMPTON. Generally speaking, no new agricultural in- 

 dustries appear to have been established, but in the Soke of 

 Peterboro' it is stated that potato growing finds occasional em- 

 ployment for a large number of men, women, and children. 



OXFORD. No new industry appears to have arisen which 

 would be likely to check the decline in the agricultural popu- 

 lation. 



WARWICK. Mr. Graves writes : " Farmers in my district are 

 different from what they used to be, and are men of very little 

 capital; many have little stock in the land, they sell off hay 

 and straw, consequently the land is getting poorer each year." 

 Mr. Lane writes : " Nearer Evesham and Worcester where 

 fruit and vegetables can be profitably grown on account of the 

 more suitable climate, there certainly is more demand for 

 labour, and wages in market gardens are made more attractive." 



DIVISION III. 



(a.) Counties of Salop, Worcester, Gloucester, Wilts, Monmouth 

 and Hereford, 



SALOP. Mr. Lee (Ellesmere) writes : " In this district there 

 has been a rapid growth of the dairy industry, especially 

 Cheshire cheese making, principally brought about by enter- 

 prising tenants laying down the strong unworkable arable 

 land; this change has to a small extent lessened the demand 

 for labour except for men capable of attending to stock and 

 willing to milk; such men are scarce and command good 

 wages." Fruit, vegetable, and poultry farming are only 

 carried on in a small way and generally in isolated areas. 



