CHANGES IN NEW ENGLAND POPULATION. 437 



other pursuits, while the latter has only about one tenth as many em- 

 ployed on the farm as are engaged in other pursuits. 



Maine has the largest number of any State engaged in agriculture 

 about one third of her whole population and she at the same time 

 possesses the greatest amount of territory to cultivate. New Hamp- 

 shire has half as many engaged in agriculture as in all other occupa- 

 tions ; Connecticut has one fourth, and Rhode Island only one tenth. 

 The whole number in New England engaged in agriculture was 301,765, 

 and in other pursuits, 1,268,116 more than four times as many. In 

 1870 the proportion was one to three. 



A comparison of this table (1880) with that in the census of 1870 

 shows a far greater increase in the class of professional persons than 

 in that of any other occupation or pursuit. The census of 1870 reports 

 only 145,324, while the census of 1880 reports 349,984 persons. This 

 increase is found in every State, though in some States greater than in 

 others. Whether this great increase of professional persons in ten 

 years is an indication of an improved state of society or not, is a ques- 

 tion upon which there might be differences of opinion. 



It is well understood that, fifty years ago, farming constituted the 

 principal occupation of New England ; but, instead of maintaining 

 its position, with a greatly increased population, it has fallen far be- 

 hind other pursuits. The great additions made to her people have 

 been absorbed in trade, in manufactures, and mechanical business. In 

 considering this exchange of agriculture for other pursuits, a question 

 of great interest arises : What is to be its effect upon physical organi- 

 zation and the permanent prosperity of a people ? 



No fact is more firmly established than that agricultural pursuits 

 are the most healthy of all, and that those engaged in them transmit 

 physical development in its best estate. All experience proves that an 

 exclusive city population tends gradually to degenerate physically, 

 and that the stock can not be kept good from generation to gen- 

 eration. 



It is well understood that the only conservative power that can 

 prevent this degeneracy in cities is that their population shall be con- 

 stantly replenished by recruits from the country. But it should be 

 borne in mind that the places in the country made vacant by those re- 

 movals are soon occupied by a different race of people, and that this 

 foreign element is pretty likely to increase more and more in the farm- 

 ing districts of New England. 



Supposing this change should generally take place in the country 

 districts, how is the purely American stock to improve or be kept 

 good ? It can be done only by an intermingling of the races, which 

 is even questionable. 



Change in Birth-Rate. There is no one agency so closely con- 

 nected with the vital interests of a people as the matter of the birth- 

 rate. In the history of nations this has always been considered a 



