MR . URBAN AND A CO UNTR Y HO USE. 22 1 



fifteen to tweiity minutes' drive of a growing city, he 

 will project his improvements, whether of planting or 

 grading, with an eye to its ultimate adaptation for 

 such purpose. 



Will the farm revenue of fifty acres pay for care 

 and keeping ? Most unquestionably, if there be a 

 reasonable amount of smooth tillable land, and aver- 

 age fertility, and no woful mismanagement. If, 

 however, " care and keeping " are understood to 

 imply the introduction of gravelled walks in all 

 directions, and trenching for shrubbery, agricultural 

 returns will scarcely pay for the weeding and the 

 watering. Luxuries are luxuries all the world over, 

 and must be paid for out of hand. What I count 

 legitimate care and keeping, is such management as 

 shall insure a gradually cumulative fertility to the 

 cultivated portions, a neat and orderly air to the 

 necessary buildings and walks, and a gradual but 

 positive development of those features which con- 

 tribute most to its attractiveness as a place of resi- 

 dence. 



As for the proceeds of a sudden sale growing out 

 of disgust with the rural enterprise, I should hope 

 that a man or a woman either might be duly 

 punished for such vacillation of purpose. 'Twould be 

 a good ethical result, whatever might be its econom- 

 ics to the Urban adventurers. Any such quick- 



