14 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



derful amount of fresh fruit and vegetables in such a 

 condition as cannot be found in the local markets; and 

 larger areas may be profitably planted if one has a little 

 capital and becomes skilled in growing garden crops. 

 One may keep the family cow and horse, too, as family 

 pets, and the smaller pets (poultry, dog or cat), with 

 both pleasure and profit. 



There is no place like the country in which to bring 

 up children. Everywhere about them are Nature's 

 realities, not the narrow creations of man. They learn 

 to take responsibilities, become self reliant by the care 

 of the cow, the horse, and the chickens, and by working 

 in the garden; and, best of all, they can be with father 

 and mother, sharing with them the cares of the house- 

 hold, the sports of rural life, and the pleasures of home. 

 They can have a workshop where they may gain skill in 

 using hand and eye. In the summer they can have the 

 sports of swimming and boating, and in winter coast- 

 ing, skating, and snow-shoeing in the broad free expanse 

 of hill and dale. 



Where the area of land is sufficient, help may be em- 

 ployed in the garden. The man of all work, who must 

 often be kept about the suburban home, may spend 

 spare hours profitably in caring for the garden crops. 

 Many a small village lot has been made to yield a con-, 

 siderable income from crops of lettuce, cucumbers, roses, 

 carnations, violets, etc., grown under glass; and larger 

 areas of only a few acres have produced income enough, 

 from outdoor vegetables and fruits, to pay the necessary 

 help and yield a good living to the owner. 



The small farmer with a few acres feels the influence 

 of modern methods, and farm life is shorn of many of 

 the trials and social deprivations of a half century ago. 

 Then the farmer worked alone, cultivating a small area 

 of such crops as were needed for home consumption, see- 



