1.911.] Agricultural Labour during May. 



263 



there was more upon them than usual at the date of these reports. 

 Live stock have thriven well during the month. 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have been furnished by the 

 Board of Trade with the following report, based on returns from corre- 

 spondents in various districts, on the demand 

 Agricultural Labour for agricultural labour in May : — 



in England The dry weather which prevailed during 



during May. the greater part of May enabled farm work 



to proceed with little or no interruption. In 

 a few cases the weather, by checking the growth of weeds, lessened 

 the demand for extra labourers for hoeing and weeding, but generally 

 such work, and sowing potatoes and roots, carting manure, &c, pro- 

 vided a good deal of employment for extra men, and the supply of 

 labourers was about equalled by the demand. Men for permanent 

 situations, particularly for work like milking, where Sunday labour 

 is required, were reported as scarce in several districts. 



Northern Counties. — Employment in these counties was generally 

 regular throughout the month. The supply of extra labourers was 

 about equal to the demand, which was fairly good, on account of 

 such work as sowing root crops, carting manure, and hoeing corn. 

 No change in wages was reported at the May hirings for single male 

 farm servants in Northumberland. Men for permanent situations were 

 in good demand in several districts in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 



Midland Counties. — Hoeing and weeding, carting manure, planting 

 potatoes and roots, and threshing provided a good deal of employment 

 for extra labourers, and the supply of and demand for these men were 

 as a rule about equal, though in a few districts employment was a little 

 slack towards the end of the month, on account of the prolonged dry 

 weather. A scarcity of men for permanent situations was reported in 

 several districts in Worcestershire and Oxfordshire. 



Eastern Counties. — There was a good demand for extra labourers 

 in these counties, principally for hoeing and weeding, and, while the 

 supply of men was generally sufficient, there was some scarcity in 

 several districts, including the Spilsby (Lincolnshire), East and West 

 Flegg, and Swaffham (Norfolk) Rural Districts. Little or no change 

 was reported in men's wages at the May hiring fairs in Lincolnshire. 



Southern and South-Western Counties. — Extra labourers were in 

 fairly good demand on the whole in these counties, though several 

 correspondents mentioned that the demand was lessened by the dry 

 weather, less hoeing than usual being required ; the supply of men 

 was generally about equal to the demand. A scarcity of per- 

 manent men, especially milkers, was reported in several districts in 

 Sussex, and in the Godstone (Surrey), Chippenham (Wiltshire), Here- 

 ford, and Stow-on-the-Wold (Gloucestershire) Rural Districts. 



