272 



The Agricultural Population. [aug., 



succeeding enquiries the number of families, not individuals, 

 was ascertained. The defects of this classification, however, 

 became evident, and in 1831 it was supplemented by a table 

 showing separately the owners of land and farm labourers over 

 20 years of age. In 1841 the method of taking the Census 

 by persons instead of by families was reverted to, and in 185 1 

 the important innovation of grouping the occupations in classes 

 was introduced, and the broad definition under which persons 

 following agricultural occupations were grouped is given in the 

 Census Report for 1861 as (a) persons possessing or working 

 the land and engaged in growing grains, fruits, grasses, animals 

 and other products ; and (J?) persons engaged about animals. 

 Since that date many modifications have been made, though it 

 may be said that the general characteristics of the group have 

 on the whole been preserved. 



Numerous changes in classification were introduced in 1901 

 by the Registrar-General at the suggestion of the Board of 

 Agriculture, and with a view to securing greater accuracy in the 

 returns the Board issued a memorandum to agriculturists 

 urging them " in view of the importance of all questions relating 

 to the number and distribution of the agricultural population, to 

 render their best assistance to ensure that the particulars entered 

 on the Census Schedules by farmers and farm labourers are 

 precise and specific and capable of accurate arrangement in the 

 groups to which they respectively belong." It is believed that a 

 considerable improvement in the returns has been thus effected, 

 though the value of the figures for purposes of comparison 

 has necessarily been to some extent impaired. 



Before proceeding to deal with the figures for 1901 which are 

 given in the General Report of the Census of England and 

 Wales, reference may perhaps be made to the fact that the 

 figures represent persons who derive their living mainly from the 

 pursuit of agriculture, but they afford only a partial indication 

 of the extent to which the land gives employment to the people, 

 as they do not show in how many instances agriculture forms a 

 secondary occupation. 



Notwithstanding the continuous decline which has taken 

 place in the rural population, the agricultural industry when 

 judged by the numbers engaged in it, still remains the most 



