Sept. 1894.] 



GENERAL A-GRICtlLTURAL NOTES. 



77 



Agricultural Labour in July. 



The Labour Gazette of August contains a report by Mr. Wilson 

 Fox, the Agricultural Correspondent of the Labour Department, 

 on the state of agricultural labour in July. In England 

 and Scotland agricultural labourers are reported to have been 

 well employed during July at mowing, hay-making, hoeing 

 turnips, weeding, and picking fruit. 



In Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire, where em- 

 ployment was irregular until June, the men, with few exceptions, 

 were able to obtain regular employment throughout July, except 

 where loss of time was caused by wet weather. 



Irregular work due to the weather is said to have been 

 experienced in a few localities of Suffolk. In some districts, 

 however, the wet weather had the effect of increasing the 

 demand for labour at the end of July, by retarding hay-making 

 operations and causing a rapid growth of weeds. 



Harvest in the eastern counties had scarcely begun at the 

 date of the report, but there appeared to be every prospect of 

 the labourers all being fully employed and securing good terms 

 owing to the abundance of the crops and the fact that cutting 

 by hand had been rendered necessary by the heavy rains. In 

 North Suffolk it was estimated that the harvest would require 

 at least 40 per cent, more labour than last year, and it was 

 asserted that in some districts labour would be difficult to 

 obtain. 



Up to the end of July the wages for harvest work in« Suffolk 

 are stated to have varied from 61. 10s. to 81. 10s. ; while in some 

 districts the men refused to take less than 71. 



In Norfolk and Essex it was expected that wages would vary 

 from 61. 10s. to 71. 10s., and that all spare men would be 

 employed. 



Farmers in the northern part of Cambridgeshire and southern 

 part of Lincolnshire were anticipating an expensive harvest, and 

 it was feared that, unless more Irishmen than usual came to 

 those districts, there would be a great scarcity of harvest hands. 



In northern Lincolnshire, on the other hand, some casual men 

 were reported to be out of work in J uly, but these would in all 

 probability easily find employment as soon as harvest com- 

 menced. 



In the midland counties the men were fully employed during 

 July, the hay crop being abundant, and harvest prospects looking 

 very favourable to the employment of labour. 



In the home counties also the men are said to have been fully 

 employed during July. 



In the western and southern counties no lack of employment 

 was reported, except at Trowbridge, in Wiltshire, up to hay 

 time, and after that commenced the demand exceeded the 

 supply. It was expected that in those counties as elsewhere all 

 available hands would be required for harvest. 



