THE CALL OF THE LAND 



October, 1901, fittingly called attention to 

 this. He declared a babe born of perfect 

 parents and giving promise of living the 

 normal time worth to the public thousands 

 of pounds sterling at the moment of birth. 

 Children of this kind, he said, grow up to in- 

 crease the wealth of multitudes and to amass 

 large fortunes themselves, besides being of 

 incalculable value to the nation through the 

 intellectual and the spiritual stimuli they 

 impart. Dr. Galton urged that state, so- 

 ciety and individuals, in every possible way, 

 encourage young men and women of high 

 character, intelligence, energy and physique 

 to marry and rear families. Certain of the 

 means suggested by Galton for realizing 

 this end smack of artificiality and utopian- 

 ism, but his main idea is sound. Effort to 

 improve humanity without first radically 

 elevating the average quality of parenthood 

 is like trying to put a i^oopound Hereford 

 carcass on a Texas steer of the old long-horn 

 type by condition powders and patent meal. 

 We close with a pair of words touching 

 a few abused or neglected means of health. 



102 



