1909.] Agricultural Labour in England. 



335 



June, and some day labourers lost time in consequence. A correspondent 

 in the Patrington Union writes : " Very few Irish labourers have come 

 over as yet except those who have regular places to go to." 



Midland Counties. — Agricultural employment in Cheshire and Derby- 

 shire was fairly regular, but hay-making was delayed by rain at the 

 end of the month. Similar reports come from Nottingham and 

 Leicestershire. In Staffordshire and Shropshire some day labourers were 

 only partially employed at the end of June, owing to wet weather. The 

 supply of such men was a little in excess of the demand in most districts. 

 Hoeing corn, carting manure, and other work afforded regular employ- 

 ment in Worcestershire until towards the end of the month, when stormy 

 weather caused some loss of time. A scarcity of men for permanent 

 situations is reported in the Evesham Union. Reports from Warwick- 

 shire state that rain interrupted outdoor work in the latter part of June, 

 and employment was more irregular than in the previous month. A 

 demand-- for men for permanent situations was reported in the Lutter- 

 worth Union. The regular farm labourers in Northamptonshire were 

 in constant employment during June, but some day labourers employed 

 in hoeing lost time owing to heavy rain, which also delayed the hay- 

 making. The supply of such men was in general just about sufficient 

 for requirements. Similar reports come from Oxfordshire and Bucking- 

 hamshire. In Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, where hay-making had 

 commenced in some districts, outdoor work was interrupted by wet 

 weather at the end of the month, and day labourers were consequently 

 not in much demand. 



Eastern Counties. — Day labourers in Huntingdonshire and Cambridge- 

 shire were somewhat irregularly employed, and in some districts the 

 supply was in excess of the demand. In Lincolnshire employment was 

 regular till towards the end of June, when rain caused outdoor work to 

 fall in arrear, owing to the sodden state of the land. A demand for 

 youths as yearly servants was reported from the Lincoln Union. In 

 Norfolk there were several wet days on which turnip hoeing and hay- 

 making could not be carried on. The supply of day labourers was 

 about equal to the demand in most districts. Reports from Suffolk and 

 Essex state that* some day labourers lost time through rain, which 

 stopped the early haymaking and prevented hoeing. The supply of day 

 labourers was, on the whole, somewhat in excess of requirements. 



Southern and South-Western Counties. — In Kent some irregularity 

 of employment was caused by wet weather, and many day labourers lost 

 time. There was a moderate demand for such labour, but the supply 

 was generally in excess. Outdoor work in Surrey and Sussex was inter- 

 rupted by cold and wet weather, which caused several day labourers to 

 be unemployed, and stopped the early haymaking in districts where 

 it had commenced. Reports from Hampshire and Berkshire state that 

 wet weather greatly interfered with hoeing and haymaking. The supply 

 of day labourers was generally in excess of the demand. In Wiltshire 

 and Dorset there was some irregularity of employment through the 

 stormy weather. The supply of day labourers in these counties was 

 generally sufficient. Agricultural employment in Somerset was fairly 

 regular. A scarcity of men for permanent situations is mentioned in 

 the Taunton Union. Day labourers in Herefordshire were not in much 



