Social Evidences What is most noticeable, however, is the improvement
in the social con- duct of these amateur nomads who invade the fruit-growing country. The fawning semi-gipsy is scarce. The human lurchers who steal and light, worrying farmers and shopkeepers and making the village inns rowdy and sometimes even dangerous, seem to have disappeared almost com- pletely. The pickers are friendly, but they imply in their attitude to the inhabitants that nowadays all are equal, and that if you suppose otherwise-they are prepared to buy you up! And some of them over- emphasise that attitude a little. But no matter. They are cleaner, tidier and less destructive. I offered one of the people in our orchard half a trugful of spring onion thinnings. He immediately suggested paying half a crown ; one half for another, and independence all round!
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