Biitish Association for the Advancement of Science. 135 



Section F. Statistics. 



Mr. Clarke read a paper containing contributions to the educa- 

 tional statistics of Birmingham, 



Mr. G. R. Porter read a paper entitled suggestions in favor of 

 the systematic collection of the statistics of agriculture. Of the 

 material interests affecting the well-being of a community, one 

 of the most important subjects is doubtless that of an adequate 

 supply of food for the people ; and yet in England the subject 

 has not hitherto been considered to any useful or practical end. 

 It cannot even be ascertained from any authentic document, what 

 quantity of land in the country is under cultivation. The author 

 enforced with much earnestness the importance of establishing 

 the necessary organization to secure the statistics in question, and 

 also to diffuse among the agriculturists a knowledge of the im- 

 provements in the science of husbandry which are often limited 

 to narrow districts. It has been stated that if all England were 

 cultivated as well as the counties of Northumberland and Lin- 

 coln, it would produce more than double the quantity of food 

 now obtained. 



A report on the state of the working classes in three parishes 

 in Rutlandshire, from facts collected by the Manchester Statistical 

 Society, was read by Mr. Gregg. — Mr. Langton of the same 

 society, read a report on the educational statistics of the county 

 of Rutland. Taking the scholars of all ages, about 5 per cent, 

 of the population attend evening and day schools only ; 9.6 per 

 cent, attend day and Sunday schools ; 6 per cent, attend Sunday 

 schools only. 



Mr. Rawson read a very elaborate paper on the criminal statis- 

 tics of England and Wales. Of his interesting results we can 

 here state but one or two. The average annual number of per- 

 sons committed or bailed to take their trial, during the last five 

 years, was 22,174, of which more than half were for simple lar- 

 ceny. Both in England and in France the ratio of male to fe- 

 male criminals is about as 4 to 1. — Next was read a report by the 

 Manchester Statistical Society on the borough of Kingston-upon- 

 HuU. — Mr. Wharton made a report on the progress of the inqui- 

 ries made by the committee instituted for the purpose of inquiring 

 into the statistics of the mining districts of Northumberland, Dur- 

 ham and Yorkshire. — Mr. Clarke read a report on the commercial 

 statistics of Birmingham, prepared by a local committee. It in- 



