290 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



making in all about 50,000 acres. The land actually in cultiva- 

 tion on these farms in the aggregate amounts to about 46,000 

 acres. We employ in the cultivation of these farms forces rang- 

 ing from 2,800 to 3,500 convicts. A small farm is located in 

 an isolated section, separate from the male convicts, and it is 

 gratifying to state that they have been nearly self-sustaining. 

 We also have another farm near Huntsville Prison owned by 

 the State where we have segregated the tubercular and trachoma- 

 tous convicts. Also upon this farm we have what we call the 

 "Old Soldiers' Home," where we keep and care for the old and 

 decrepit convicts of both the Confederate and Union forces. 

 This has proven to be rather an expensive department of our 

 Prison System. However, we have the satisfaction of having a 

 remarkable record with reference to the deaths caused by tuber- 

 culosis in this System. Out of a prison population averaging 

 something over 4,000 convicts last year we had only seven deaths 

 from tuberculosis, and it is my candid opinion that if the jails 

 of the State could be put in a sanitary condition, such that 

 the convicts would not contract tuberculosis before being trans- 

 ferred to the penitentiary, it would be but a few years until we 

 would have eradicated tuberculosis from the Prison System, or 

 at least the ratio of tuberculosis among the convicts would be a 

 negligible quantity in the System. 



IN THE HEALING LAP OF MOTHER EARTH * 



WINTHROP D. LANE 



THE Indiana Village for Epileptics, opened eight years ago 

 and just coming to full development, comprises 1,246 rich acres 

 about two miles north of Newcastle and forty-five miles from 

 Indianapolis. It lies in a country of rolling farm land that 

 rises and falls through an altitude of 100 feet or more. Old 

 Indian mounds dot the landscape and frequent groves of walnut, 

 ash, maple, oak and poplar help to break the view. 



The visitor for the first time will not know when he reaches 

 the village. No walls enclose it, no impressive architecture bor- 



i Adapted from the Survey, Vol. 35: 373-380, Jan., 1916. 



