254 



THE TREND OF THE RACE 



On the other hand, Quatrefages adduces evidence to show that 

 the products of negro-white crosses are unusually prolific and H. 



E. Jordan states that " the mulatto is probably more prolific than 

 the normal average of either white or negro. During the past 

 twenty years he has increased at twice the rate of the negro." 



F. L. Hoffmann who has studied the subject in a painstaking 

 manner comes to perhaps the only justifiable conclusion that 

 ''the imperfect state of vital statistics, even at the present time, 

 makes it difficult if not impossible to settle scientifically the ques- 

 tion of increase or decrease in fecundity." 



It is undeniable that since 1850 mulattoes have increased 

 relatively faster than the negroes, as is shown in the following 

 table: 



Increase of Mulattoes in the U. S. 



This table does not tell us anything, however, of the birth rate 

 of the mulattoes as compared with that of the negroes. The 

 mulattoes increase in number not only through their own birth 

 rate, but through the unions of whites and negroes, through the 

 unions of whites and mulattoes, and especially through the unions 

 of mulattoes and negroes, the children of the latter unions being 

 usually counted as mulattoes. Even if crosses of negroes and 

 whites are becoming less frequent the relative increase of the 

 mulattoes may be due largely to negro-white crosses. Mulattoes 

 are relatively more common in the Northern States and especially 



