222 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



rapid or how great a mobilization will take place when such a call to 

 the colors shall be made. But one thing is evident: the sons of the 

 city are not mere reservists of the army of the land. They may 

 debate the summons, and are free to stay in their present callings 

 unless persuaded that to enlist and serve would be to their advantage. 



A glance back over the period of the earlier agitation reveals the 

 fact that, outside of violent personal enthusiasms (and everybody 

 knows at least one farm "fan"), the summons was pretty generally 

 refused. In spite of the high and rising cost of living, and in the face 

 of a mighty exhortation to forsake the city and make their fortunes 

 on the farm, men persistently stayed in town. Those who engaged 

 in painting the lily may have derived profit or satisfaction from the 

 task, but the census enumerators have not been able to discover 

 tangible results of their endeavor. 



To get at the facts of the matter we must go beneath its superficial 

 manifestations. Of all the host who felt or feel the gnawings of land 

 hunger, four classes are to be distinguished: those who yearn but do 

 not go, those who move to the suburbs, those who go and return, and 

 those who go and stay. The first class the fireside farmers do not 

 swell the output of farm products. They increase the gate receipts 

 at the land-show, the poultry-show, the dairy-show, and the stock- 

 show, and levy toll upon the seed houses, poultrymen, and implement 

 manufacturers, to whom they write for catalogues and information. 



The second class limit their operations to a kitchen garden and a 

 chicken coop. Their hand-raised radishes do not demoralize the 

 truck-growing industry, nor do the disappointing performances of 

 their costly Orpington pullets seriously upset the egg market. The 

 cost of the suburbanite's living may be a little lessened, but it entails 

 extra work. For those who are willing to make the effort, there are 

 more fresh vegetables, eggs, and spring chickens on the bill-of-fare 

 and more fresh air and exercise for the family. 



Even from the other two classes of rural emigrants the net addi- 

 tions to our agricultural population are much less than at first might 

 appear. They create the illusion of progress by moving in a circle. 

 The first group go to the country full of large hopes, only to find that 

 profits do not come as easily with a hoe as with a pencil. Perchance 

 the tyro farmer loses money alarmingly on his first experiments, or 

 even if he makes some actual profit, it comes so much harder than the 

 accustomed salary or pay-check that the game seems no longer to be 

 worth the candle. Either nerve or resources may fail ; there are even 



