The Labour Bill in Farming. 
123 
•quoted, writes to me as follows : — " The principal change 
noticed by me since the commencement of the recent agitation 
is the removal by emigration of a large number of those surplus 
hands on whom farmers depended in times of extra work — such 
as turnip-hoeing, hay-making, &c. — men who occupied them- 
selves in other ways, or were idle when not required at these 
times. We may probably look forward to the removal of this 
class of labourer in still larger numbers ; and we may have to 
depend entirely on our regular hands, excepting at harvest, 
when the high wages will, no doubt, continue to draw men from 
other employments. 
" I think we ought to consider how far we may have to alter 
our system of farming, looking forward, as we must do, to the 
more or less complete removal of these ' odd hands.' The root- 
crop will, probably, be the only one affected, this being the only 
crop which necessitates the employment from time to time of a 
number of extra hands. As the work of hoeing and singling turnips 
cannot be delayed, it is clear that, if a large amount of surplus 
labour is not forthcoming at the requisite moment, the acreage 
of roots must be reduced. As the roots are the worst-paying 
crop on the farm, to give up half the acreage will leave a greater 
profit to be shared between landlord and tenant, without any 
disadvantage to the land. As much stock would be fatted ; but 
they would eat corn and cut-straw in place of roots. 
" On good mixed soil much money is lost by farmers being 
compelled by a lease to grow roots on one-fourth of the whole 
arable land. Such a wasteful system is only possible by the 
existence of a large amount of surplus labour. If half this 
turnip-shift were given up to barley, as recommended by Mr. 
Lawes,* the following would be a reasonable estimate of the 
cost and result. The figures speak for themselves : — 
" Estimated Cost and BesuU of groioing a Crop of Swede Turnips. 
Per acre. 
£ s. d. 
Team Work — including the usual plougliings, harrowings, 
rolling, drilling, and horse-hoeing 112 0 
Manual Labour — including hoeing by hand, singling, pulling, 
and cleaning ; cutting for stock 1 3 0 
Artificial Manure 2 0 0 
Seed 0 3 0 
Rent, rates, and taxes, rz.y 2 10 0 
Total cost 780 
If carted from the field, add 10s. jjer acre. 
Value of Crop for Food and IManure, 12 tons at 8s £4 16 0 
* Sec Mr. Lawes' recommendations in the ' Eoyal Agricultmal Society's Journal 
for 1873,' vol. ix., part 2, specially pp. 373, 371. 
