THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 59 



from the early figure of $50 and $75 an acre to $100, $150, and $200. 

 Here in New England thousands of acres of good fruit land are 

 available at §10 to $25 an acre. In many cases buildings are found 

 on these farms which are actually worth the price paid for the farm. 

 Of course nearer the large cities for the intensive market garden 

 crops rand values run to 81000 or more an acre, but the fact that 

 the owners are making money shows that a fine dividend can be 

 declared on Xew England lands at an exceedingly high valuation. 



You are familiar with the strong argument of nearby markets 

 for the New England farmer and the overwhelming percentage of 

 consumers as compared with producers. You are also familiar 

 with the superior transportation facilities, including good roads and 

 a network of steam and electric railways which are not only carrying 

 passengers but produce of the farm as well. You know about the 

 educational advantages, including schools, libraries, reading circles, 

 women's clubs, colleges, etc. New England is noted for its culture 

 and superior advantages in the way of our higher education. There 

 are different phases of all these subjects which I would like to 

 consider with you but must hasten on. 



If there is any one factor which is sure to revivify New England 

 more than another it is the development of the spirit of optimism. 

 We have kept within our conservative shell so long that it is not 

 surprising rural sections have suffered. Conservatism is all right 

 but you can have too much of a good thirig. We have been living 

 too much to ourselves and covering our lights with a half-bushel. 

 If the truth about New England resources could only be known by 

 the country at large you would see as big a stampede for the East 

 as there was to the West back in '48 and '49. Resolutions recently 

 adopted by the Pilgrim Publicity association of Boston express my 

 sentiments so accurately that I desire to repeat them. The code 

 includes the following: "I believe in the tremendous transforming 

 power of optimism; I believe that it is lack of faith which checks 

 the development of individuals, associations and sections; that 

 skepticism is the only thing which stands between New England and 

 her great destiny, and that when pessimism is transformed to 

 optimism New England will again take her right place in the 

 vanguard of industrial progress. 



"Therefore, I am resolved that I will avoid and help others to 



