FARMING THAT IS NOT FARMING 81 



stantial business. More than that, they represent a 

 very intelligent use of the soil and a highly skilled 

 utilization of plants. 



The Soil and Social Amelioration. It has recently 

 been stated in France that the victims of shell shock re- 

 cover much more rapidly if they can be put to work in 

 the fields. Better than medicine, better than nursing, 

 better than the hospital is the soil in the open country. 

 Now this statement is only a new illustration of the 

 fact that both physicians and social experts discovered 

 some time ago and to an increasing extent are putting 

 into operation. It is common knowledge that schools 

 for delinquents, the old-fashioned " reform " schools, 

 have usually been placed in the country. The most en- 

 lightened prison policies now provide for farms in con- 

 nection with the prisons and the habitual use of prison- 

 ers in producing their own food. Not long ago, one 

 of the most prominent experts connected with the treat- 

 ment of the feeble-minded asserted that in the future 

 these institutions must consist of colonies so located that 

 the inmates could not only have open air but farm work. 

 It has been found that even the insane can be used to a 

 very large extent in many farm operations. The out- 

 of-door work tends to health ; steady employment makes 

 for mental poise and sanity. In all these institutions 

 there is some considerable saving of expense to the 

 state. If properly managed, these farms could be 

 also demonstrations in good farming. It should be 

 more generally understood that the increase in delin- 

 quents of various sorts, physical and mental and moral, 

 is becoming a serious'menace to our civilization, both in 

 country and in city. If, therefore, the use of the soil 

 as a means of amelioration and possibly of curing is 

 practicable, it has very far-reaching consequences. 



