1908.] Agricultural Labour in England. 531 



269,944,000 bushels ; barley, 49,488,000 bushels. These figures represent an average 

 of 21 bushels per acre for wheat, 34 bushels for oats and 27 bushels for barley. 



Hop Harvest of Oregon and Washington. — H.M. Consul at Portland, Oregon 

 (Mr. J. Laidlaw) reports that hop picking has commenced in that State, but opinions 

 vary as to the probable quantity that will be harvested. Rains have improved the 

 prospects of the crop, which was suffering from continued dry weather. It is 

 doubtful whether all will be picked, owing to the low prices offered, but the latest 

 estimates are that in Oregon there are about 110,000 bales (of 185 lb.) on the poles, 

 and in Washington 20,000 bales. It is believed that for various reasons from 10 to 

 15 per cent, will not be picked. Since last season about 8,000 acres of hop-fields in 

 Oregon have been ploughed up and 3,500 acres in Washington. 



United States. — The United States Department of Agriculture in its report on 

 the condition of the crops on 1st October, states that the condition of maize was 

 77 '8 as compared with 79*4 in the preceding month. The preliminary estimate of 

 the yield per acre of spring wheat is 13*2 bushels, and of the total yield 233,090,000 

 bushels as against 224,645,000 bushels in 1907. Winter wheat has been estimated 

 at 425,940,000 Jbushels, so that the total wheat crop is likely to amount to 

 659,030,000 bushels as against 634,087,000 bushels in 1907. The preliminary 

 returns indicate an oats crop of about 789, 161,000 bushels against 754,443,000 bushels 

 in 1907, and a barley crop of 167,242,000 bushels against 153,597,000 bushels. All 

 these crops promise, therefore, to give a somewhat higher return than last year. 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have been furnished 

 by the Board of Trade with the following report, based on 

 about 210 returns from correspondents in 

 Agricultural Labour various districts on the demand for 

 in England agricultural labour in September : — 



during September. Farm work in September was hindered by rain in most 

 parts of the country, and day labourers, especially such as 

 were employed on the corn harvest, lost time in consequence. Generally speaking, 

 the supply of extra labour was somewhat in excess of the demand. 



Northern Counties. — Employment was generally regular in Northumberland, 

 Durham, Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, but many day labourers lost 

 time on account of wet weather. The supply of extra labour was quite equal to the 

 demand, and some surplus was reported from Cumberland. In Yorkshire the corn 

 harvest provided employment for most agricultural labourers; in several districts, 

 however, day labourers lost two or three days through rain. A correspondent in the 

 Malton Union mentions a difficulty in obtaining, locally, men for tending cattle. 



Midland Counties. — In Cheshire and Derbyshire the corn harvest was much 

 hindered by wet weather, and the employment of day labourers was consequently 

 irregular. Similar reports come from Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland- 

 shire. There was an ample supply of extra labour in these counties, and in Leicester- 

 shire the supply was said to be more than sufficient. Employment was fairly regular 

 in Staffordshire and Shropshire. On wet days, when harvest work was interrupted, 

 day labourers were in some cases found other work. Although the corn harvest was 

 much interrupted by rain in Worcestershire employment on the whole was fairly 

 regular on account of other work (picking hops and fruit, potato lifting, and manure 

 carting). There was a demand in this county for more men to take charge of 

 animals. The supply of extra labour was somewhat in excess of the demand in 

 Warwickshire. Harvest work and manure carting provided fairly regular employ- 

 ment in Northamptonshire, and the supply of and demand for extra labour were 

 generally about equal. In Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire day labourers were 



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