72 



Agricultural Labour in March. 



[aprtl, 



tracts usually contain some 73,000 acres, so that the total shortage is 

 probably more like 117,000 acres.. The condition of the crop is reported 

 to be good on the whole. 



United States.— The Crop Reporting Board of the Bureau of Statistics 

 of the Department of Agriculture reported on the 8th April that the 

 average condition of winter wheat on April 1st was So'S, against 95*8 

 on December 1st, 1909, 82*2 on April 1st, 1909, 91*3 at the corresponding 

 date of 1908, and 87*0 the mean of the averages for April 1st of the 

 past ten years. 



The average condition of winter rye on April 1st was 92*3, against 

 94' 1 on December 1st, 87*2 on April 1st last year, 89*1 at the same date 

 in 1968, and 89*5 the mean of the April averages of the past ten years. 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have been furnished by the 

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

 correspondents in various districts, on the de- 

 Agricultural Labour mand for agricultural labour in March. 



in England Agricultural labourers were regularly 



during March. employed on the whole during March. Owing 

 to the backward state of farm work there 

 was a somewhat greater demand for day labourers than in the pre- 

 vious month, but the supply was in general quite sufficient. 



Northern Counties. — Regularity of employment was general, except 

 with a few day labourers in Yorkshire. The supply of such men was 

 quite sufficient, and in some districts there was a surplus. At the 

 March hirings in Northumberland men were said to be more plentiful, 

 and wages showed a downward tendency. 



Midland Counties. — Correspondents report that employment was 

 regular, except in Worcestershire, where some day labourers are said 

 to have lost time through rainy days. There was a good demand for 

 such men in several counties ; the supply was usually adequate, but some 

 shortage was reported from the Cannock (Staffs.), Hardingstone 

 (Northants.), and Buntingford (Herts.) Unions. 



Eastern Counties. — In Norfolk and Suffolk a few day labourers lost 

 time at the beginning of March through wet weather, and some men in 

 Essex were prevented from obtaining employment in the latter part 

 of the month through the land being unfit to work upon. The supply 

 of such men was in general sufficient, but a shortage was reported 

 from some districts of Lincolnshire. 



South and Southern Counties. — Except in Kent and Sussex, where 

 there was some hindrance on account of wet weather, employment was 

 regular in this group of counties. The supply of day labourers was 

 generally sufficient. A Berkshire report, however, mentions a demand 

 for such men, and there was some scarcity of men for tending cattle 

 and milking. A scarcity of men for permanent situations is also 

 reported from Gloucestershire. 



