Agricultural Notes on the Census of 1861. 
from this addition to a man's position, that I should regret to 
think it not so easily attained as heretofore. That the number of 
small holdings is to some extent a test of the labourer's prosperity 
is, 1 think, shown by the fact that the proportion of small hold- 
ings in Lincolnshire, where labour is high, and also in Cheshire, 
Cambridges*hire, and Norfolk, varies from 28 per cent, in Cheshire 
to 19 per cent, in Norfolk ; whilst in Wiltshire, Cumberland, and 
Bucks, the per centage drops to 12, 10, and 8. Now, the last 
Parliamentary return on agricultural wages in the year 1860 is 
less complete than it well might be. There is no return, for 
instance, from Bucks at all. In Cumberland there are returns 
from three unions, in which employment is described as un- 
certain, though at particular seasons men make good wages ; 
whilst in Wiltshire from 9s. to 10s. per week is returned as the 
average, with 20s. to 25s. in harvest time ; in Cheshire the returns 
for the agricultural labourer are at lis. to 12s. per week; but 
we must remember that we get many operatives and a much 
higher paid class in some parts of that county ; in Lincolnshire 
13s. 6fZ. to 15s. are the returns ; in Cambridgeshire, for only one 
union, regular work 10s. to 12s., and 14s. to 16s. at task-work ; 
and the return from Norfolk is to the same effect. 
This survey of our present position suggests the inquiry 
whether the increase of our towns and of railways may not have 
had something to do with the changes that are taking place? 
The 781 towns in England and Wales, which are enumerated 
in the Census, include an area defined by the municipal or 
parliamentary boundary, or that of some local or district board, 
of 2,991 square miles, or nearly two million of acres. Of course 
this space is not all covered by buildings, but a very large pro- 
portion of it is ether used for purposes of building or of 
recreation, and is not productive of human food. Again, there 
were at the close of 1860, 7583 miles of railway open in England 
and Wales, which may be roughly estimated to occupy 83,413 
acres of land ; and the quantity so occupied is increasing every 
year. 
This brief examination of the Census papers only leads us to 
regret that there is not more accurate information to be obtained 
as to our agricultural position. No one doubts that a great 
increase of energy and capital is now devoted to farming opera- 
tions, and yet it is impossible to measure the extent of our agri- 
cultural progress. Rents are higher, the price of land is higher, 
and farms are in greater demand than ever ; unless, therefore, 
the increase of our crops and of our stock is considerable, it is 
not easy to see how farming can be remunerative. But we have 
no means of testing this. Some persons are of opinion that a good 
deal of land is beings laid down to grass ; but I think this un- 
