438 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



question of the utmost importance. To a certain extent it operates as 

 a thermometer to show the rise and fall of national prosperity. The 

 process of its operations may seem slow, but certain results are sure 

 to follow. 



In respect to this agency, a most surprising change has gradually 

 been taking place in New England. Near the close of the last cen- 

 tury, Malthus, after making a survey of all the nations on the earth, 

 selected the United States (virtually New England, which was the 

 most populous part) upon which to base his theory of population. 

 Seeing that the inhabitants of these States doubled in twenty-five 

 years by natural increase, he considered that it afforded most favorable 

 indications of prosperity. At that time the birth-rate was high, fami- 

 lies were large, and few were found without children. 



From the first settlement at Plymouth in 1620, this prosperous 

 state of increase continued without much chansre for two hundred 

 years, but early in the present century some decline in the birth-rate 

 commenced. It is impossible to trace the exact changes which have 

 taken place for the last two or three generations. 



In some parts of New England the precincts and towns were accus- 

 tomed to keep very correct records of all births, but they were not 

 genei'ally printed, so no comparison of them can be made. But for 

 thirty years or more several of the New England States have pub- 

 lished registration reports of births in their cities and towns, so that 

 very correct comparisons can be instituted. Without going into a de- 

 tailed sketch by statistics, figures, etc., of the changes in birth-rate, 

 we present some general statements on this subject. Forty or fifty 

 years ago large families, numbering six, eight, ten, and twelve, were 

 quite common ; now they are rare in fact, a large number of such 

 families can not at the present time be found in any one neighborhood 

 or even in a single country town. Formerly, in the rural districts of 

 New England, there were few families having only one, two, or three 

 children, and in case there were none it was so rare as to attract par- 

 ticular attention, and was considered by many a great calamity. But 

 what a contrast is found in the present state of society ! In the great 

 majority of our American families only one, two, or three children 

 are now found, and in very many families not one. And such a state 

 of society is approved by the fashions and prevailing sentiment of the 

 day! 



As registration reports generally return the births of the foreign 

 population in the same tables with the American, and as the term 

 native is applied to all infants whose parents were born in this coun- 

 try, though of foreign descent, it will be at once seen how difficult it 

 is to obtain the exact birth-rate separate of each class. Two facts are 

 pretty well established : 1. That the birth-rate of the foreign class is 

 more than twice as large as the strictly American ; and, 2. That, in the 

 country districts of New England settled mainly by the Americans, 



