320 
Agricultural Notes on the Census of 1861. 
In Scotland, the totals of the agricultural class were — 
1851 388,203 
1861 378,609 
These Tables may be found at p. 35 of the 3rd vol. of the 
' Census of England and Wales for 1861.' 
From Table VII., I think, we may gather that the tendency in 
England and Wales is not towards a subdivision of land. The 
class who return themselves as proprietors of land, remains very 
stationary ; and from my own experience, I should say that land 
is not going into more hands, but that estates are rather increasing 
in size ; and that landed proprietors, as a class, are a wealthier 
body than they formerly were. 
Tables, which I shall shortly quote, will give us the idea that 
the size of farms is increasing, and that small holdings are being 
absorbed in the larger ; and this is to some extent corroborated 
by Table VII., ki which we find fewer of the farmers' relatives 
employed upon the farm, and farm-bailiffs considerably increased. 
The very great diminution of in-door male farm-servants is a 
further indication of a change in the class of men who now make 
farming their pursuit ; since men of the new stamp feel the in- 
convenience of boarding in their houses a large number of 
youths, with whom, a few years ago, the farmer worked during 
the day, and associated in his leisure time. 
But the increase in male out-door labourers and shepherds 
does not compensate for the decrease in in-door servants, which, 
exclusive of the farmers' relatives, amounts to 12,050. I am not 
inclined, from personal experience, to imagine that there has been 
any decrease in the aggregate of manual labour employed upon 
farms ; on the contrary, the superior cultivation of our crops, and 
the increased care bestowed upon our flocks and herds, lead to the 
opposite conclusion. When, therefore, I remember that some 
few years ago it was no unusual thing in a parish of 600 
inhabitants, not far removed from an active manufacturing dis- 
trict, to have ten or a dozen labourers entirely or partially out of 
work during the winter months, and that now in the same parish 
we are frequently obliged to supplement our own labourers by 
Irish, I can only conclude that the redundant agricultural popula- 
tion has been absorbed by manufacturing industry ; and that those 
who remain are more efficient, better paid, and more fully 
employed than they were 10 years ago. Referring to Table VII., 
it will be found that three new classes of industry have been called 
out to assist in agriculture. There are now 236 proprietors of 
agricultural machines, which, being no doubt let out for hire, are 
available for the small farmer ; and attached to these there are 
1205 agricultural machine-workers. Besides these, the land- 
