Rural Depopulation 141 



for the poultry farmers), a decrease in the 

 number of the farmers. 



On the whole, however, as stated before, 

 there is little falling off in the numbers 

 of the farmers during the last half century. 



But quite the opposite is the case when 

 we consider the number of the workers on 

 the farms. Here we have from 1851 a 

 continuous and considerable decrease, both 

 proportional and absolute. In 1851, of 

 every 100 males over ten years of age, 19 

 were workers on farms, whilst in 1901 the 

 proportion was only 6 in the 100. When 

 we refer to the absolute numbers we find 

 that, compared with 1851, in 1901 there 

 were little more than half the numbers 

 employed, strictly 58 per cent., viz., a fall 

 from about \\ millions to f of a million 

 (1,232,576 to 715,138). The reduction in 

 female agricultural labour is still more 

 remarkable, being no less than 91*6 per 



