Census of England and Wales for the Year 1871. 391 



withal of prudence, that all these auguries of evil have long since 

 been exploded. In the mother country and her colonies, new 

 *' harvest fields of industry are calling for more arms " to work, 

 and the great stream of happy progress, in spite of occasional 

 breakers, still majestically flows on. 



In looking at the records of this Census of 1871, we may at 

 first be struck with figures which would indicate that our own 

 special pursuit — agriculture — has not advanced in the same pro- 

 portion as other industries, and indeed if we call to mind cer- 

 tain exceptional circumstances of this decennial period, between 

 1861 and 1871, such as the outbreak of Rinderpest in 1865 and 

 the excessive droughts of 1868 and 1870, which so materially 

 affected the graziers during those years, we might find a reason- 

 able excuse for accepting in the figures before us some proof of 

 decline. But, for my own part, I believe that, rightly read, we 

 shall find in these figures no indication of decay, but rather signs 

 of increase in agricultural energy, and of new inventions and 

 appliances brought to bear in order to meet the requirements 

 of a period, which has made greater demands upon everv class of 

 labour than had ever previously been known. We shall find that 

 our productive powers have increased, while our surplus labour 

 has diminished, and the prospects of the agricultural labourers 

 who remain, have materially improved without in any way im- 

 pairing the resources of the tenant farmer. 



As in the previous decennial period, so in the one we are now 

 considering, we are struck with the continued development of 

 the urban population, the numbers who are congregated together, 

 and the wealth which they produce and enjoy. 



Thp towns in England and Wales stand thus at the three 

 Censuses of 1851, 1861, and 1871 : — 



There are thus nearly 300,000 acres of land withdrawn from 

 agricultural production during the last period of ten years in 

 order to meet wants and luxuries of the town population, not 

 altogether covered by streets and buildings, but used also for the 

 gardens and pleasure grounds attached to suburban villas, which 



