Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-18
written spechaiiy for The BuTiettn)

written Specially for The BuIletin)
Ons OF the strongest passions Of
lheaithy and normal men Is their land
hunger.
Show me a man who never feels an IN
lterse longing for a bit Of land which he
lmzy can his own. and I'll show you
iERn who Is either mentally wopperjawed
Tor spiritually deficient or physically in
teompetent.
I There win be Something wrong" about
ELu. anyway. Prudent people may not
ksndsec. quite ostracize him. but they will
lkaep well 70 windward when their cours-
es bring them within the same horizon
lie viii be an exception to the general
lrule Of human nature. And he need not
ivonder Il his unusual freakishness lays
hin open 20 unusual suspicion on the
ipart o. normal mea-
One OF the outstanding proofs of this
sia1d-l-ln.-er is found IN the eagerness Of
lrich city people, after they have made
their pile IN town. 10 own their "coun-
ltry-places." Very few OF them seem
quite exempt For years the regions
near thc great cities have been thickly
dotted with their more or less preten-
i1ious mansions set In more or less ex-
Eensfve domains. OF late they have gone
stIn further afieid till there is hardly a
rural township in any Of the older
states which hasn't some of this class
who. at least, make it their summer
home.
e This tendency has been occasionally
helpful 20 rlIraIly-born misfits who. fail
ing 20 make a living for themselves off
lrheir ancestral acres. have found pur
-chasers for them. sometimes at unexpect-
iedly good figures, among these city as
rlrants FOR. country life
A many Of these city people have
Deer. during their city careers, more or
less of what might be called "splurgers, -
they continue that habit OF action in the
tcountry, also. The set cut 10 "splurge''
En the new field. That implies a big acre
age. So they keep on adding to their
shoidi-Es as opportunities arise and
ichances for purchase offer. Half
io-dozen farms Of $50 acres
each when combined make q ranch Of
800 acres. The city man seems to 60 on
The theory that y $50 acres make a
irood thing. 500 acres ought to make
something six times better. So he buys
and buys I'LL his estate becomes almost
8 manor.
There are specially favored districts.
Ike LeuoU and Tuxedo. etc, where prac-
really all the available land is taken
up by these big estates. Some Of them
sire devoted 20 a sort OF amateur farm
snE. especially dairy farming. Others are
turned into game preserves. Others are
Gust made show places. But practically
81 are held, not as sources of income
hut as playthinEs on which 70 expend in
come elsewhere earned
That's the distinction between a farm
nd c0untry-place The farm has Il
pay i-s way and provide an income; the
country place has 20 90 neither. Though
sadeed. many OF the owners Of such es
1asss vigorously assert their purpose Il
make them pay and no doubt. many o.
Them sincerely expect to succeed in thi.
attlmpt
50 much for the tendency Of the pas
Eorty or City years. Is it destined t
continue. or Is Il merely a passing ia,
which viii eventually give place TO 9th
- whinsies7 That is 4 question which n
prophet can answer with Certainty. But
was much Interested 20 note, the othe
day. r. a speech made by the veteral
iChauncey NJ Depew. OF New York him
self rich man. and owner Of a countr-
estate, that he has a decided opinion O.
rhis Subject He declares his belief tina
zhs day Of the big country estate Is pass
sar He asserts that the not far distan
Irure VIII see the hills OF Westcheste
and other suburban neighborhoods broke
NJ into small farms and dotted with tn
homes % those in modest circumstance
Vow that he has mentioned it. I not
mat Two or three indications Of a sim
sEr tendency have fallen lately within n
pwu personal observation. There is