THE LURE OF THE LAND 



THE LURE OF THE LANt) 



IT is not my purpose to discuss problems of life in the 

 country for those whose incomes permit them to 

 follow any desire or whim that may possess them. The 

 lure of the land to which I refer is not that of the spec- 

 ulator ; nor of the miser, who would increase his landed 

 possessions as he would his gold; nor of the promoter, 

 whose desire for' the country is to lay it off in lots and 

 sell it to his fellows ; nor of the exploiter, who loves to 

 possess only that he may rob and degrade. From my 

 point of view I would set forth for the average man of 

 average means, who wishes to indulge the natural de- 

 sire for country life, the dangers and difficulties, as 

 well as the advantages and successes, of making his 

 home on the farm- 

 It is evident that those who live in the country must 

 earn a living,, but in doing this there is no need that 

 all of the beauties of rural life should be sacrificed until 

 it becomes a burden unbearable. It is not difficult to 

 understand how the youth brought up on a farm turns 

 his longing eyes towards the town. The conditions 

 of farm life, as a rule, are not such as to attract 

 or to hold the farmer's son or daughter. Life does not 



3 



