688 



Agricultural Labour in October. [nov., 



Hop Crop of Oregon and Washington. — H.M. Consul at Portland, 

 Oregon (Mr. James Laidlaw), in reporting on the production of hops 

 in that district, states that the quality of Oregon hops is superior 

 and that care is being exercised to pick clean. The production of 

 dried hops is generally estimated at 90,000 bales (185 lb. each), or a 

 little more in Oregon, and at 17,500 to 20,000 bales in Washington. 



Soy Bean Crop of Manchuria. — The British Acting Consul-General 

 at Mukden (Mr. R. Willis) has telegraphed to the effect that the bean 

 harvest in Southern Manchuria is excellent, and that harvest prospects 

 in Northern Manchuria are from 20 to 30 per cent, better than last 

 year, the beans also being of a very much better quality. (Board of 

 Trade Journal, November 3rd.) 



Employment was generally regular, though day labourers in parts 



of the Southern and South-Western Counties lost a little time in the 



. middle of the month through rain. There 



Agricultural Labour was a fairly good demand on the whole for 



in England such men f or threshing, lifting potatoes and 



during October. t j ie root cr0 p S) an d other seasonal work, but 

 the supply was sufficient. 



Northern Counties. — With the exception of Northumberland, where 

 there was little demand for day labourers, correspondents in these 

 counties generally reported a fairly good and constant demand for men 

 of this class, and an equal supply of labour. Men were chiefly wanted 

 for taking up the potato, mangold,, and turnip crops, hedging, thresh- 

 ing, and manure carting. 



Midland Counties. — Outdoor work was generally regular in these 

 counties. A moderate amount of extra labour was required for work 

 on the potato and root crops, threshing, &c. ; the supply, however, 

 was generally ample, and was somewhat in excess of requirements 

 in the Tamworth (Staffordshire) Rural District, and in parts of 

 Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. 



Eastern Counties. — There was a fairly good demand for day 

 labourers on account of potato-lifting, threshing, and other seasonal 

 work, and few men were reported as being in irregular employment. 

 There was, however, a small surplus of such men in the Henstead 

 (Norfolk) and Thingoe (Suffolk) Rural Districts. A scarcity of men for 

 potato-lifting was reported in the North Witchford (Cambridgeshire) 

 Rural District, and more day labourers than could be obtained were 

 wanted in the Spilsby (Lines.) Rural District. 



Southern and South-Western Counties. — Employment was generally 

 regular, but in a number of districts day labourers employed at thresh- 

 ing lost a little time in the middle of the month through rain. There 

 was a fair demand for day labourers, which was met by about an 

 equal supply in most districts. Some surplus was reported in the 

 Westbury and Whorwellsdown (Wiltshire) Rural District, and in certain 

 districts in Hampshire, while a shortage in the supply was reported 

 in the Godstone (Surrey) and Tisbury (Wiltshire) Rural Districts. Men 

 for permanent situations were somewhat scarce in the Godstone (Surrey) 

 and. Stow-on-the-Wold and Wotton-under-Edge (Gloucestershire) Rural 

 Districts, and a demand for stockmen was reported in the Chippenham 

 (Wiltshire) Rural District. 



