22 Obfervatwtis on the Parjjlj of Hoiinam. Jan. 



Vhen the lands are re-let, without the lead alteration In the 

 fize of the farms. The generality of farmers, when they com- 

 mence bufinefs, prefer young men, or thofe lately married : 

 hence, for a number of years afterwards, fuch a parilh will have 

 an increafed population, and the fcale will not return to its 

 ordinary level, before the families of thofe fervairts are able 

 to work, and remove to other parts, where their labour is 

 wanted. We know of feveral farms precifely under thefe cir- 

 Cumftances, and are acquainted with others, where the fcale 

 of population has been reduced, at particular periods, without 

 the lead alteration having happened in the fize or management 

 cf the farm. In fnort, it is obvious that population may be 

 augmented, or decreafed, without any of the caufes alhgned 

 by the generality of the clergy having operated. 



One thing may be alfo noticed, which has probably occa- 

 fioned feveral of the clergy to think large farms unfriendly to 

 population; that is, the change which has generally taken place 

 in the belt cultivated counties refpefting the-number of cottag- 

 ers. As all tenants are taken bound to fupport and leave tlie 

 buildings in habitable condition at the end of their leafes, and 

 as the expence of repairs is now very great, it is found more 

 eligible to keep up no more than are requifite for accomodat- 

 ing the ordinary farm-fervants. Hence mechanics, weavers, 

 tailors, hedgers, ditchers, labourers who work at large, widow 

 women, &c. are now removed to villages, and take employ- 

 ment where they can find it. This, of courfe, has contributed 

 to leflen the number of people refident at farm-flcadings, efpe- 

 cially at the large ones, where the clafTes above defcribed, in 

 former times, uiTually re-fided; while, at the fame time, the po- 

 pulation of the pariflr is in no refpe(Sl decreafed. 



The population of Scotland, by the returns in the Statllll- 

 cal volumes, appears confiderably incre^.fed; and this increafc, 

 as might be expelled, has chiefly taken place In the manufac- 

 turing diitri£ls, where the value of labour is high, and ths:: 

 dema;id for hands greateft. In .the counties entirely depend- 

 ent upon hufbandry, it js obvious, population muft always re- 

 main nearly ftationary, unlefs fome great and general change 

 take place in the fyftem of management, or in the ufual mode 

 of condu£lIng- farm-labour. The introduction of two-horfe 

 ploughs had fomething of this effecfl, though perhaps not fa 

 Kiuch as was imagined: an Increafe of luxury, by reducing tlie 

 quantity of arable, and Increafing that of padure land, may al- 

 fo locally afleci: the population of particular diftvicts. The 

 returns from the agricultural counties, however, flrow that 

 there is not any material alteration in their population fince 

 1755; and in Roxburghflnire it is increafed. 



UpoEi 



