A HALF CENTURY OF CONSERVATION 335 



ture of nature developed behind this flare of popu- 

 larity. Essayists treated the aesthetic side of scen- 

 ery. A boom in travel books developed which has 

 not waned. Stewart Edward White found plots in 

 the wilderness struggles between rangers and dep- 

 redating "interests," and dozens followed in his wake. 

 Scientists endeavored, often but not always with 

 success, to popularize their writings. 



More or less concurrently appeared the back-to- 

 the-country movement, which grew vigorously in 

 the cities. Suburbs took on the aspects of country 

 villages, and deserted farms in the East became es- 

 tates where the families of the leisurely would spend 

 most of the year in the open. Gardeners became 

 landscapists, and landscape architecture one of the 

 profitable professions. The "modern girl" developed, 

 tall of stature, free of stride, bronzed from tennis 

 and golf in the formerly despised and rejected 

 sunshine. 



The bicycle evolved, became a national craze of 

 the first order, played its important role and retired 

 before the automobile, which, itself an evolution, in 

 time became the mightiest of all the agencies of out- 

 of-doors development. Let us hope it will not be- 

 come a Frankenstein. 



Meantime state governments took the motor 

 era seriously. Untold millions went into roads, with 

 many times as many millions still to go the same 

 good way. The State Park idea became a move- 

 ment. Counties and cities caught the fever. Chi- 



