134 Rents t Wages, and Profits in Agriculture 



the rural districts first, all those which are 

 below 10,000 ; and secondly, all those below 

 5,000. In the first case, i.e.^ when we include 

 in the rural districts the small towns below 

 10,000 people, we find that, comparing 1901 

 with 1891, there has been an actual increase 

 of 5*3 per cent., the population having risen 

 from about 10 millions to about loj 

 millions. It is true that the rate of increase 

 in the urban districts proper is greater, being 

 indeed 15*8 per cent. ; but still the fact 

 remains that the rural districts, as so 

 interpreted, have gained in absolute numbers 

 half a million. 



If we include with the rural districts only 

 those with populations below 5,000, we find 

 the rural population with this interpretation 

 has increased by 3*5 per cent., or absolutely 

 by some 300,000, as against 15*7 for the 

 urban districts as a whole, and some 

 3,000,000 absolutely. 



