FRANCE. 



THE CONDlTIONvS OF RURAL LIFE IN 1913-1914. 



OFP'ICIAI, SOURCE : 



DuGE DE Bernonvii,i.i~. (L,.) i Enqiiete sur les conditions cle le vie ouvrit-re et rurale en France 



en 1913-1914 (Enquiry into the Conditions of Labouring and Rural Life in France in 

 1913-1914.) in Bulletin de la Statistique generate de la France et dii Service d'obserration des 

 prix, vol. VI, Part III. Paris, April 1917. 



In a preceding article (i) we re.sumed some facts interesting to agricul- 

 ture discovered by the demographic and social enquirj^ undertaken by 

 the Statistiqiie generate of France, into the position of the labouring and rural 

 population in 1913-1914. 



We have still to examine certain points included in this enquiry, nota- 

 bly the movement towards the depopulation of country districts and its 

 causes, the phenomena of rural emigration, technical education for agricul- 

 tural trades, and the incapacity due to health of rural labourers. 



§ I. Depopulation of country districts. 



The diminution in the population of French country districts is due to 

 two causes: emigration into towns or abroad and the less number of large 

 families. 



The two question-forms used in the country — for families and for vil- 

 lages, respectively — provided frames in which certain numerical facts 

 as to this double phenomenon could be collected. The form for villages 

 asked that every person who had in 1911, 1912 and 1913 left a commune 

 to settle elsewhere should be noted, together with his sex, age, trade and 

 new address. 



It will however be well, before we analyse the data obtained by means 

 of the forms, to give some information as to the population of the places 

 covered by the enquiry and their economic position. 



(i) See our issue for July 1917, page 68. 



