946 



Agricultural Labour in England, [march, 



Argentina. — A telegram from Buenos Aires, dated March ist, states that 

 although no fresh official, crop statement has been issued, Senor Lahitte, Chief 

 of the Statistical Department of the Department of Agriculture, has written 

 to the Minister of Agriculture stating that the next Government crop estimates 

 are expected to show a reduction, ' owing to the damage done to the crops 

 during harvesting. — Timss, March 2nd, 1909. 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have been fur- 

 nished by the Board of Trade with the following report, 

 based on about 210 returns from corre- 

 AgricultoaLLabour S p 0nc ients in various districts, on the 

 during February. demand for agricultural labour in 

 February : — 



The regularity of employment suffered generally no interruption from the 

 weather in February. The forward state of farm work, however, affected the 

 demand for day labourers in many districts, and in consequence the supply of 

 such men was somewhat in excess of the demand. 



Northern Counties. — Employment was generally regular in Northumberland, 

 where, however, there was little demand for extra labourers. A fair demand 

 for extra labourers was reported from certain districts in Cumberland, West- 

 morland and Lancashire, principally for carting and spreading manure and 

 hedge-trimming. There was little or no interruption to outdoor work in 

 Yorkshire, but in many districts" the demand for day labourers was not equal 

 to the supply. 



Midland Counties. — Employment was generally regular in Cheshire ; there 

 was a fairly equal supply of and demand for labour, but a correspondent in the 

 Tarvin Union mentions a scarcity of indoor farm servants. There was not 

 much demand for day labourers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and some 

 men of this class were consequently in irregular work. Threshing, manure 

 carting and hedging provided a fair amount of employment for extra labourers 

 in Leicestershire, and little or no excess in the supply of men was reported; 

 there was some scarcity of men for permanent situations in the Market 

 Harboroagh Union. The supply of day labourers was in excess of the demand 

 in Staffordshire. Carting manure, threshing and hedging provided fairly full 

 and regular employment in Shropshire. Employment was generally regular in 

 Worcestershire and Warwickshire, with the supply of labour about equal to 

 the demand. There was only a moderate demand for extra labourers in 

 Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire ; waggoners, cattlemen and shepherds, 

 however, were somewhat scarce. The demand for labourers in Buckingham- 

 shire and Hertfordshire was lessened on account of frosty weather, and some 

 men of this class were in irregular work in consequence. There was also some 

 surplus of extra labourers in Bedfordshire. 



Eastern Counties. — Employment was generally regular in Huntingdonshire 

 and Cambridgeshire, but in several districts the supply of day labourers was 

 rather greater than the demand. In Lincolnshire threshing, ditching and 

 hedging, &c, provided regular employment for most men, and the supply of 

 and demand for labour were about equal. At the Horncastle Candlemas 

 hirings no change in wages was reported. In Norfolk and Suffolk threshing, 

 hedging, draining and ditching caused a fair demand for day labourers, but the 

 demand was affected by the forward state of work, and in several districts there 

 was some surplus of extra labour. Similar reports come from Essex. 



Southern and South- Western Counties. — There was only a moderate demand 

 for day labourers in Kent. Threshing, manure carting, hedging and ditching 

 generally provided regular employment for extra labourers in Surrey. There 



