THE COUNTIES OF FOKFAR AND KINCARDINE. b*:» 



Pojpulatioii. 



The following table shows the population of the two counties 

 at various times since the beginning of the present century : — 



Forfar, Kincardine. 

 1801, .... 99,053 26,349 



1851, . ... . 191,264 34,598 



1861, . . . . 204,425 34,466 



1871, .... 237,528 34,651 



Increase in Forfar since 1801, . 138,475. 



„ Kincardine „ . . 8,302. 



It will thus be seen that the population of Forfar lias been 

 more than doubled during the present century. This remark- 

 able increase is due almost wholly to the development of the 

 commercial industries of the county, particularly to the growth 

 of the linen factories. The population in the rural districts has 

 decreased since 1801, while that of Dundee is more than four 

 times as large as it was fifty or sixty years ago. The total 

 increase in Kincardineshire is much less, being under one third ; 

 but here, also, there has been a diminution in the rural parts 

 and a large increase in the towns and villages. In regard to 

 population Forfarshire stands fourth, and Kincardineshire 

 twenty -fifth in Scotland. The former has one person for every 

 2§ acres ; and the latter, one for every 7 acres. The rate in 

 Scotland as a whole is about 3 J acres to each person. Of the 

 population in Forfarshire in 1871, 106,223 were males and 

 131,355 females; Kincardineshire had 16,790 males and 17,861 

 females. In 1871, the inhabited houses in Forfarshire num- 

 bered 25,663, or one for every 9 of population ; and in Kincar- 

 dineshire 6661, or nearly equal to one for every 5 persons. The 

 town of Dundee itself claims fully one-half the whole population 

 of Forfar; while about three-fourths reside in the six hirger 

 towns, viz. : — Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose, F^orfar, Brechin, and 

 Bronghty-Ferry. About one-hfth of the population of Kincar- 

 dine reside in Stonehaveu, Laurencekirk, Johushaven, and 

 Bervie, these being the only places in the county whose 

 inhabitants number or exceed 1000. The history and antiqui- 

 ties of these counties are very interesting, but these matters 

 lie outside the subject proper of this report. 



Climate. 



Throughout these counties there is great variety in the climate. 

 Within F'orfarshire itself it differs very greatly. Along the 

 coast it is mild and dry, the rainfall being under 30 inches, 

 and the mean annual temperature higli. The summer heat and 



