Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 41.djvu/493

Rh an average size of family of 4·70, and in 1890 of 4·67. The State census for 1885 gives the average size of family as 4·58. In each case the size of family as shown by the Federal census is slightly larger than that shown by the State census. It would be quite impossible to quarrel with the Federal census so far as this single comparison is concerned.

In the eleventh census a question entirely novel in Federal censuses was asked on the population schedule. This question was as follows: "Mother of how many children, and number of these children living?" This inquiry was made concerning all women who are or have been married, including those widowed or divorced. The results of this inquiry will be of the very greatest importance. It was asked in the State census of Massachusetts for 1885. The question relates to the fecundity of women, and if the tabulations are proper will give this for different nationalities. The question involves the comparative growth of the native and foreign-born population, and is a subject of very vital importance. In the Massachusetts census for 1875 a beginning was made in the direction of securing information on this point, but to a limited extent only. In that census an inquiry was made relating simply to the number of children born to each mother; but in 1885, in the State referred to, the inquiry was extended to the form just quoted. The statistics presented in the State census for 1885 confirmed the information secured in 1875 as to the relative fecundity of women, and also supplied data in the nature of vital statistics bearing directly upon the question often raised as to whether it is better to have small families, well reared, as opposed to large families of children not always brought up under the best and most healthful conditions. The figures gathered in the State of Massachusetts showed that foreign-born mothers were more prolific than native-born mothers, while at the second inquiry it was shown that the number of children of foreign-born mothers decreased relative to the time they had lived in this country; and the general results, considered on broad grounds, indicated that the mothers having purely native parentage have relatively a slightly greater proportion of their children living than the mothers having purely foreign parentage.

The effect of dense population upon the decreasing size of the family is suggested by these crude results; but, after the Federal and State censuses shall have repeated the inquiry quoted, we may be able to determine with reasonable accuracy the exact facts relative to the decrease of families. The first results under the Federal census will be chiefly valuable because from them comparisons in future censuses can be made, and from them also can be shown whether more children are brought to mature age when members of small families than when members of large