6o 



Agricultural Labour in England, [april, 



for their services was also lessened in many districts by the forward 

 state of farm work. 



Northern Counties. — In Northumberland and Cumberland outdoor 

 employment was much hindered by the severe weather, and spring 

 sowings were delayed in consequence ; there was little demand for extra 

 labour. At the March hirings in Northumberland wages showed com- 

 paratively little change from the previous year; some scarcity of women 

 workers was reported. A fairly even supply of, and demand for, labour 

 were reported from districts in Westmorland and Lancashire. Potato 

 planting and other work afforded employment to extra labourers in 

 Yorkshire when the weather permitted, but snow and rain caused 

 a somewhat considerable loss of time to many men of this class. 



Midland Counties. — Severe weather interrupted the employment of 

 day labourers in Cheshire during the early part of the month, otherwise 

 the supply of this class of labour was generally equalled by the demand. 

 There was a fair demand for extra labourers in Derbyshire and 

 Nottinghamshire. Threshing, hedging, manure carting, etc., provided 

 a certain amount of work for extra men in Leicestershire, but the 

 demand for their services was much diminished by the severe weather. 

 Similar reports come from Staffordshire. There was generally an even 

 supply of and demand for labour in Shropshire, though there was 

 occasional loss of time through bad weather. In Worcestershire and 

 Warwickshire the supply of extra labourers was generally in excess of 

 the demand, but a scarcity of men for permanent situations was reported 

 from several districts. Extra labourers were in excess of requirements 

 in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire ; there was, however, a continued 

 demand for carters, cattlemen and shepherds in the latter county. 

 Threshing, draining, hedging and other work caused a moderate 

 demand for day labourers in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and 

 Bedfordshire, but there was generally some surplus in the supply, and 

 bad weather occasioned much loss of time. 



Eastern Counties. — Outdoor work in Huntingdonshire and Cam- 

 bridgeshire was interrupted by unfavourable weather, while in several 

 districts many more men were seeking work than were wanted. There 

 was generally an equal supply of and demand for day labourers in 

 Lincolnshire, except for a few days when bad weather rendered work 

 impossible. Threshing, hedging, ditching and manure carting provided 

 a fair amount of employment in Norfolk, though there was some loss 

 of time from bad weather in most districts. The forward state of 

 threshing, as well as the weather, was said to have affected the employ- 

 ment of day labourers in Suffolk, and the supply of such men was 

 generally somewhat in excess of the demand. Correspondents in Essex 

 also report that day labourers lost time on account of bad weather. 



Southern and South-W estern Counties. — Day labourers were in 

 irregular employment in Kent, owing to the severe weather, which 

 considerably interrupted threshing and other work. A scarcity of 

 shepherds was reported from the Bridge Union. There was a similar 

 irregularity of employment in Surrey. Wood-cutting, hedging, ditching, 

 manure carting, etc., caused a moderate demand for extra labourers in 

 Sussex, but a number of such men suffered loss of time from the bad 

 weather. There was a fair demand for day labourers in Hampshire 

 and Berkshire when the weather permitted outdoor work. A corre- 



