52 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



five counties show a total gain of 1,020,830 in population, and in two 

 counties a total loss of Gl, leaving a net gain in population in cities 

 and boroughs of 1,020,709. 



The country districts, on the other hand, showed a gain in twenty- 

 four counties amounting only to 113,552. Forty-three counties show 

 a loss of 90,220, leaving the net gain of population for all of the rural 

 districts of the State, of only 23,332. The gain, in the country dis- 

 tricts, occurred, for the most part, in the lumbering and mining coun- 

 ties. The gain in the ten lumbering and mining counties, consisting 

 of Cambria, Clearfield, Elk, Fayette, Forest, Jefferson, Lehigh, Lu- 

 zerne, Somerset and Westmoreland, amounted to 87,605. The aggre- 

 gate loss to the country districts in the fifty-seven other counties 

 was, therefore, 64,333, showing beyond, question that the agricultural 

 population is gradually growing less in the country districts of 

 Pennsylvania. 



Suggestions are offered, in other parts of this report, as to the 

 means for arresting this flow. Better schools, better roads, the re- 

 duction of taxation upon real estate by a more equitable imposition 

 of tax upon occupations, professions and trades, the dissemination 

 of scientific information among agricultural people by means of bul- 

 letins and farmers' institutes, the introduction of the study of nat- 

 ural things into the rural schools, and the extension of free rural mail 

 delivery, telephone and trolley roads throughout the country. 



The country must be made easily and quickly accessible, from the 

 cities and towns, and the same educational advantages now enjoyed 

 by the towns, must be introduced into the country. 



THE LEGISLATION OF 1901. 



The farmers of Pennsylvania have good reason to commend the 

 last Legislature for its consideration of their needs, as shown in the 

 large amount of valuable legislation which was enacted in the in- 

 terest of agriculture. They passed no less than thirty-three distinct 

 bills directly benefiting the country districts. 



