| Future generations will note with surprise that, in spite of the difficulties encountered, the population of New France continues to increase. That, in any case, is what we can see from the census that Monsieur Jean Talon, our intendant, carried out last spring.
To the amazement of everyone, he himself visited the colony and met its inhabitants. He spoke of the state of families and gave an account of their land, goods and animals. No doubt he will shortly be able to support his claims on behalf of Canada with precise information.
Monsieur Talon provided us, first of all, with information that will interest our readers. Also, because he visited the governments in Trois-Rivières, Montreal and Quebec, he counted a total of 3,215 inhabitants of French origin. The number of male persons amounts to 2,034 and that of female persons to 1,181. The number of families enumerated is 528.
Illustration: L.R. Bachelor, National Archives of Canada.
The most densely populated towns and regions are shown in the following table:
| Québec: |
547 persons |
| Montreal: |
625 |
| Trois-Riviéres: |
455 |
| Ile d'Orléans: |
452 |
| Côte de Beaupré: |
533 |
| Seigneurie de Beauport: |
185 |
| Seigneurie de Sillery: |
140 |
| Seigneurie Notre-Dame des Anges: |
112 |
The trades now represented in New France are another important element shown in this census:
butchers  |
7 |
| bakers |
11 |
| townsmen |
16 |
| carpenter |
36 |
| surgeons |
5 |
| shoemakers |
20 |
| enlisted men |
401 |
| bailiffs |
4 |
| printers |
1 |
| teachers |
3 | |
| masons |
32 |
| merchants |
18 |
| joiners |
27 |
| millers |
9 |
| notaries |
3 |
| pastrycooks |
5 |
| locksmiths |
3 |
| tailors |
30 |
| coopers |
8 | | |
|
