Population of England and Wales., ^r., of 1871 and 1881. 97 
reasonable degree of accuracy, some one or more at least of the 
causes which brought about the general decrease. 
I must ask my readers, in the first place, to allow me to state 
what I mean by the " agricultural population," and to explain 
the method which I have used to compare the 1881 Returns 
with those of 1871. By the "agricultural population" I do not 
mean the " Rural " as distinguished from the " Urban " popu- 
lation ; nor do I include in that expression, as the Census 
Returns for both 1871 and 1881 include in what is called in 
them " the agricultural class," persons engaged in arboriculture, 
or horticulture, or persons engaged about animals.* I mean 
by the " agricultural population " those persons only who are 
engaged in, or directly connected with the cultivation of the soil 
for farming or pastoral purposes — in short, with agriculture 
proper — and no others. 
The tables Avhich I have prepared from the Census Returns 
in order to show the alteration in the agricultural population, 
as I have just defined it, in the several counties of England and 
Wales will be found in the Appendix, on pp. 113-126. It is 
unfortunate for the purposes of comparison that the sub-divisions 
of that division of the agricultural class, which comprises persons 
engaged in agriculture only, are different in the 1881 Census 
from the subdivisions of the same division in the 1871 Census. 
These differences will perhaps be most clearly appreciated by 
placing in parallel columns the subdivisions into which the 
agricultural division of the agricultural class (if I may use 
fiuch an expression) was split up at each period, thus : — 
1871. 
Land proprietor (so returned). 
Tanner, grazier. 
Farmer's son, brother, grandson, 
nephew. 
Farm bailiff. 
Agricultural labourer. 
Shepherd (outdoor). 
Farm servant (indoor). 
.Land surveyor, estate agent. 
Land-drainage service. 
Agricultural-machine proprietor, 
attendant. 
Others engaged in agriculture. 
1881. 
Farmer, grazier. 
Farmer's, grazier's son, grandson, 
brother, ne[)hew. 
Farm bailiff. 
Agricultural labourer, farm servant, 
cottager 
Shepherd. 
Land-drainage service. 
Agricultural-machine proprietor, 
attendant. 
Agricultural student, pupil. 
Others engaged in, or connected 
with, agriculture. 
It will be seen at once that the 1881 Returns differ from those 
* The Census Eetuma include " gamekeepers," and even " fishermen " under 
'this term. 
VOL. XXI.— S. S. H 
