152 THE LURE OP THE LAND 



foot to encourage the establishment of factories, hoping 

 thus to attract a greater number of people ! Washing- 

 ton at least should be the one city where the productive 

 factory is unknown. 



As I have said in another chapter, the house of the 

 farmer is now being improved in such a way as to make 

 him as comfortable as if he lived in the city. The con- 

 veniences of bath and lavatory are now being installed 

 in many farm-houses, and the sewage therefrom is 

 handled in a scientific manner, thus improving sanitary 

 conditions and making life more comfortable and dis- 

 ease less imminent. 



I am now building on my farm a double tenement 

 house for the hands I hire by the year and their fam- 

 ilies. So far as I know these houses for the hands are 

 the only ones in the neighborhood in which are found 

 hot and cold water, bathrooms and water closets. The 

 materials and workmanship of the house are of the best. 

 Perhaps other farmers may see the humanity and sani- 

 tation of a septic tank. 



MAKE FABMING PEOFITABLE. 



All of this, however, is not sufficient to keep people 

 in the country. The pursuit of agriculture must be- 

 come more profitable if the country is to reach its full 

 fruition. Scientific agriculture will help, but to bring 

 the consumer and the farmer into more intimate con- 

 tact is most important of all. This will surely be ac- 

 complished by establishing factories in rural districts, 

 where farmers can sell direct to the employees of the 

 works. At the present prices for commodities which 

 the farmer must buy, he cannot expect to be financially 

 successful with wheat at a dollar a bushel and fat beeves 

 at seven dollars a hundred pounds. 



