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Harvest Wages in 1899. 



In summing up the experience gained in spraying 144 

 acres of charlock and runch-infested grain crops in Yorkshire, 

 Professor Campbell draws the following conclusions : 



1. The operation is only completely successful when 

 the plants are taken in the youngest stage. 



2. A bright, dry, and calm day is a necessary factor 

 to success. 



3. In the case of sulphate of iron at least a 10 per cent, 

 solution is required, and this should be applied at the 

 rate of not less than 40 gallons per acre. Even a 1 5 per 

 cent, solution of sulphate of iron may be necessary if the 

 plants have got beyond the first rough leaf stage. 



4. Such solutions will not injure either corn or young 

 seeds. 



Harvest Wages in 1899. 



The Labour Gazette for October, 1899, has analysed the 

 returns received by the Board of Trade from 149 farmers in 

 the Midland, Eastern, Home, and Southern and South 

 Western Counties, giving the cash earnings, exclusive of 

 perquisites, of 2,27 3 men employed at harvest by them. 



Generally speaking, the returns show that the rates of 

 harvest wages were about the same as last year in the 

 majority of cases, though there was an upward tendency in 

 some counties. Looking at the general results, the harvest 

 was a good one both for the employers and the men who 

 were employed. The employers, owing to the crops not 

 being beaten down, were able to use self-binding machines 

 and thus save labour, and also, owing to the fine weather, 

 were able to get the harvest in very rapidly, while the men 

 who were paid a lump sum for the harvest, and those 

 engaged at piecework, were also able to get through the 

 work quickly and without interruption. Consequently 

 they earned their harvest money in a short time, and were 

 free to go on with other work at the current rate of weekly 



