464 A FARMER'S YEAR 



Times, the paper from which I cull these statistics, adds : " It is the 

 same everywhere, and yet this, the most urgent of all social problems, 

 receives practically no attention from our legislators.' It was my in- 

 tention to quote from other communications, but as their tenour is very 

 similar to those that I have already given, and as time is short, I will 

 not do so. I think that it will be admitted, however, that I have now 

 proved my point that there is a shrinkage, a large shrinkage of the 

 rural population going on, and that such shrinkage is progressive ; that 

 if indeed it continues at the present rate, within a time which our 

 children might live to see, there would be practically no rural popula- 

 tion in certain parts of the Eastern Counties. 1 My own belief, which is 

 based upon death entries in registers, is that at the present time the 

 population of many of our villages is smaller than it was in the middle 

 ages, the enormous increase which is revealed by the census having 

 taken place in the towns. 



Now I go on to my second point namely, What are the causes of 

 this shrinkage ? I have heard various reasons given, all or most of which 

 have some weight : That the spread of education makes labour on the 

 land distasteful to the young though, by the way, one would think 

 that, other things being equal, true education, the education which 

 teaches us how great and good a thing it is to be in daily contact with 

 Nature, and to breathe the pure air undefiled by the reek of cities, 

 might have led to a different conclusion. That the housing of labourers 

 is in many cases insufficient although here I may remark that the 

 housing of similar classes in large towns is not all that could be desired, 

 and the rent is very much higher. That the desire for music halls and 



1 The following letter, received since this paper was read, seems illustra- 

 tive of this unpleasant suggestion : 



Welborne Rectory, E. Dereham : May 17, 1899. 



DEAR SIR, Having read with interest your paper on the ' Exodus of the 

 Rural Population,' I think the example of this small parish may interest you 

 as showing what is going on in the way of exodus. In 1881 there were 56. 

 names on the school register 31 boys and 25 girls. Of the 56 only two are 

 left in the parish. All the boys are gone. 



In 1890 there were 36 names on the register. Only eight of these are now 

 living in the parish. 



At the present time, 1899, there are 23 names only on the register. 

 Yours faithfully, 



(Signed) H. B. JOHNSON, Rector. 

 H. Rider Haggard, Esq. 



