The Call of the Land 



CHAPTER I 

 THE FARMSTEAD BEAUTIFUL 



THE entire nation is interested in keep- 

 ing its agricultural population on a 

 high plane of life. The result will not be 

 secured without care. In all lands rural folk 

 tend to become mere peasants, hewers of 

 wood and drawers of water to those better 

 off. Can we in the United States stem this 

 tendency? I believe we can. Already many 

 innovations are coming to our relief. The 

 telephone, free rural postal service and good 

 roads conspire to bring remote farms into 

 close connection with the living world. 

 Up-to-date scientific farming, making the 

 business pay, supplies the farmer and his 

 family with the means for reading matter 

 and for wide education and travel. These 

 are all first rate civilizing influences. There 

 is, however, one additional appliance with- 



