INCREASE OF POPULATION. 189 



INCREASE OF POPULATION. 



United States, Whites, - from 1840 to 1850, 36$ per cent 

 " Free colored, " " 14 " 



" Slaves, - " " 27J 



Total increase, - - 38 T 6 T " 



China, supposed to be at least, say - - - 10 



France, for 14 years, 23f per cent, or 10 years, - 17 " 

 England and Wales, during 40 years, averaged 



10 years, - - - 15 " 



Ireland is no criterion to go by because of her emigra- 

 tion and reverses ; therefore, to obtain a population in 

 proportion equal to China 



The United States require - 1,301,109,975 



" " " to France, in 1850, say 640,541,230 



" " " to England and Wales, 780,659,625 



" to Ireland, in 1840, - 834,506,000 



The two next considerations are : First, Is the soil of 

 America throughout equally capable of supporting the 

 same population as the countries mentioned? China 

 cannot have less than one third her area occupied by 

 mountains and barren lands. A portion of England and 

 Wales is also occupied by barren tracts and hills. Ire- 

 land has also a large space under hills or mountains ; 

 and although her soil is the richest of all, yet a portion 

 of Connaught, as well as the north, is poor. American 

 soil may, perhaps, be pronounced poor by some ; but the 

 American farmers are themselves the poorest I do not 

 mean in circumstances, but the poorest in science of cul- 

 tivation and treatment of the land ; I mean the South- 

 erners, particularly. A portion of France is very poor. 



