9 



tions and the loveliness, arc bccominc^ too expensive around 

 us here for any but wealthy men to indulge in. 



Frankly turning our back, then, upon our old familiar 

 friend, the farmer of the past, let us turn to greet the coming 

 man for our purpose, — the farmer of the future. 



For certainly this vast city population at our doors, if it 

 occupies the land, creates, too, an enormous daily demand for 

 certain products of the land. If the ground is enhanced in 

 value, so are the vegetables which grow on it sold to more ad- 

 vantage. To be sure, the far greater part of the agricultural 

 produce consumed in the city can be supplied more cheaply 

 from a distance. But experience seems to show that there are 

 some necessary luxuries, if you will pardon the phrase, which 

 are so much more prized fresh froni the farm-wagon than from 

 the car, that they can bear the tax incident to growing within 

 an easy drive of the city. Take the professional florist, for'one 

 case. The market gardeners, especially the hot-bed gardeners, 

 are another. Both of them seem to derive a sufficient advantage 

 from being within wagon-reach of the markets, to enable them 

 to compete with the rail-borne article. Many early vegetables, 

 for instance, are almost as rapidly spoiled by handling and 

 keeping as most fish are. Like oysters, they are best eaten 

 alive. One wants to stretch out one's hands, as it were, and 

 pluck them crisp and tender from the earth. But this near- 

 ness means dear land, high taxes, and a big fi.xed capital to 

 pay a profit on. And the only way to meet the difficulty is 

 to use but little land. We must raise the largest possible 

 crop on the smallest possible space. For this only one thing 

 is absolutely necessary, a cheap and plentiful supply of stimu- 

 lating dressing. Where shall we get it .? Why. out of Bos- 

 ton harbor, to be sure. Are we not yearly throwing half a 

 million of dollar's worth of the very thing our market-garden- 

 ers most need, into its bosom } The ocean, which stretches 

 frequent arms through this dense population, occupying the 

 space swept by a radius of ten miles from the State House, is 

 made a nuisance and dangerous sewer by the foul and waste- 

 ful uses to which it is subjected in this regard. P.nt the diffi- 



