New England genealogies, including 12,722 wives, has thrown a great deal of light on the steady decline in their birth-rate. He found the average number of children to be:
| 1750-1799 | 6.43 |
|---|---|
| 1800-1849 | 4.94 |
| 1850-1869 | 3.47 |
| 1870-1879 | 2.77 |
There, in four lines, is the story of the decline of the old American stock. At present, it is barely reproducing itself, probably not even that, for there is reason to believe that 1879 does not mark the lowest point reached. Before 1700,