creasing towns have a substantially larger proportion of establishments 

 handling agricultural products. The number of manufacturing establish- 

 ments is virtually constant in the increasing towns from 1921-1950, while 

 in the decreasing towns the number of these fluctuates widely. The in- 

 ference which may be drawn from this is orientation toward stable small 

 processing plants, both agricultural and non-agricultural, in the increasing 

 towns. 



5. In small toivns in areas of long and stable settlement, differences 

 in economic orientation and adjustment do not create difference in popu- 

 lation characteristics. This statement runs counter to some generalizations 

 held regarding population composition. It is known that in cities economic 

 factors play an important role in affecting population characteristics. This 

 apparently does not hold for small towns in which resources are insufficient 

 to attract a large volume of migration. 



30 



