INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS 51 



rapidly through the streets and up west hill ; long 

 before he had reached the top his potatoes had 

 disappeared and, gazing back, he remarked: "I 

 couldn't look those overfed city chaps in the face 

 while those beautiful potatoes were staring at me 

 with their innocent eyes." This is an extreme 

 illustration of one of the causes which has driven 

 the country boy from the farm and which has also 

 led the farmer to neglect to keep up the productive 

 ability of the soil. 



There is one great and ever present natural law 

 which modifies reproduction, at least in mammals. 

 If food is scarce and environment unkind the age 

 of puberty is postponed and reproduction is lim- 

 ited, as among Indians and other primitive races 

 in severe climates and where food is insufficient. 

 The Esquimo has not been destroyed by war and 

 not until recently decimated by diseases, yet 

 throughout the ages they have multiplied but 

 slowly. If environment is made comfortable 

 not luxurious and an abundance of wholesome, 

 not too concentrated food is provided, reproduc- 

 tion tends to rise in proportion ; while at the other 

 extreme, if environment is too easy, too luxurious, 

 reproduction again declines. This is a law as true 

 of the genus homo as it is of the genus sus scrofa. 



