103 
planting, root thinning, and other similar work at other times 
of the year, a very large proportion of these may not describe 
themselves as agricultural workers in the Census Returns. There 
is also some doubt as to the extent to which female domestic 
servants are included in the Agricultural Returns. Many of 
these are partially engaged on farm work such as dairying. As 
the Ministry’s return is taken in June before the fruit-picking 
and hop-picking season, those persons whose only agricultural 
work is in connection with these operations are excluded. 
On the whole, therefore, it may be accepted that the number 
of persons regularly or generally employed in agriculture or horti- 
culture was about 870,000 in 1921. 
In addition to the figures given above for 1921, the numbers 
of workers returned to the Ministry by occupiers of holdings in 
1923, 1924 and 1925 are also available and compare as shown 
below. 
NUMBERS 0F WORKERS RETURNED BY OCCUPIERS OF LAND AS 
EMPLOYED ON JUNE 4TH OF THE UNDERMENTIONED YEARS. 
Regular Workers. 
Casual Workers. 
Y ear. 
Men and 
hovs. 
Women and 
oirls. 
Men and 
bovs. 
Women and 
oirls. 
Thous. Thous. Thous. Thous. 
1921 © | 612 73 131 53 
1923 566 59 104 43 
| 924 582 | 62 115 | 47 
1925 579 60 115 49 
Total. 
Thous. 
869 
72 
806 
803 
The striking decrease between 1921 and 1923 may possibly 
reflect the financial difficulties under which farmers operated 
owing to the sharp fall in prices in that period, while the slight 
increase in employment in the following year may be due to the 
more stable conditions prevailing in 1924. Generally, however, 
the figures indicate an appreciable decline in the numbers 
employed since 1921. 
With regard to the number of “employers” in agriculture 
it has sometimes been suggested that the discrepancy between 
the apparent number of *“ farmers ”” and the number of agricultural 
holdings is too great and is evidence of inaccuracy on one side 
or the other. Owing, however, to the fact already explained that 
a good deal of land is occupied as a secondary occupation, no 
exact agreement ought to be expected between the number of 
persons included under the heading ¢ farmer” and of the total 
number of holdings discussed in the preceding chapter. Of the 
total of 410,000 separate returns of agricultural land about 
50,000 were classed as miscellaneous pieces of land not ordinary