56 



READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



crops is 42.5 per cent. If cotton be included in the summary 

 and allowance be made for the additional labor employed in the 

 production of that crop, the absolute displacement becomes 30.9 

 per cent. 



The Relative Displacement 



The relative increase or decrease of the population engaged in 

 agriculture as compared with the increase or decrease of the popu- 

 lation engaged in each of the other occupation classes, for the 

 continental portion of the United States, and for the several 

 geographical divisions, during the period from 1880 to 1900, is 

 shown in the tables on page 57. 



In the United States as a whole, and in each division, excepting 

 only the Western division, the rate of increase in the agricultural 

 population has been much lower than in any other one of the 

 occupation classes. Not only this, but, subject to the same excep- 

 tion, it has been lower than either the rate of increase in the total 

 population or in the number of those engaged in gainful occupa- 

 tions. We must conclude, therefore, that for the period from 1880 

 to 1900, as compared with the growth in the number of those 

 engaged in other industries, there has been a decrease in the 

 number of those engaged in agriculture.^ 



The rate of increase of males and females in the various occu- 

 pation classes has been very different. The relative rates of 



1 Bringing together the data concerning the population engaged in agriculture, 

 as presented in the foregoing tables, so as to show the relative rate of increase in 

 that class in the different sections of the country, we have the following : 



POPULATION ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURE (MALES AND FEMALES) 



