IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDINGS, AND SURROUNDINGS.

Every year brings material improvement in the surroundings of the homes of the Polish farmers and in sanitary conditions also. When they first settled in this locality, many built their stables adjoining the houses and manifested no pride whatever in the appearance of the home. Ideals have changed, however, and some of the best country residences are the homes of Polish farmers. Shade trees have been set out, and attractive lawns with both grass and flowers surround the houses. In many homes there are telephones, another mark of the modern farmer. Each farm has barns and cribs sufficient to store all crops raised on the farm and to provide shelter for all the live stock. The outhouses are frequently painted and are usually in good repair.

MARKETS AND MARKETING FACILITIES.

Ample markets for the crops raised exist within comparativel easy reach of the farmers. The railroad facilities are good. The main line of the Illinois Central runs in a northeast and southwes direction through the colony, connecting it with the markets north and south. The western branch of the Louisville and Nashvile Railroad crosses the north. rn part of the settlement in an east and west direction, providing excellent connections with St. Louis and southern points. The Wabash, Chester, and Western Railroad run in a northeast and southwest direction across the eastern part of the colony. Farm products are marketed at the small towns located on the various railroad lines and all provisions, farm machinery. etc., are purchased at these towns. Each town has at least one gra elevator, where all kinds of grain are bought. All other farm prod ucts are sold to the local merchants and produce dealers.

During the fall and winter months stock buyers are constantly driving through the country buying horses, mules, cattle, hogs, and sheep, and as there is always keen competition, good prices are realized for the live stock. Animals are generally bought on the farm with the understanding that the farmer deliver them at a convenient railroad point. The most distant point of the colony is no more than 9 miles from a railroad shipping station.

In the summer and early fall if there is but little rain the roads are good, but when the winter frosts and rains set in they become almost impassable, except to horseback riders. This fact causes most farmers, especially those living some distance from market, to market their products as early in the fall as possible. There is no cooperative marketing, though some effort has been made on the part of the Polish farmers to establish a farmers' ele vator. One elevator in the colony, located at Radom, is operate by a Pole, and a great number of Polish farmers who are closer to other markets come to this elevator because they prefer to trade with a member of their own race. By far the greater part of the business carried on by these farmers is with Americans. A great par of the poultry, eggs, and butter sold by the farmers are exchanged for dry goods and groceries at near-by stores, especially when on smali amounts are to be marketed. There are produce houses in si the towns, which pay a good price for dairy and poultry products.

PROPERTY OWNED.

This colony is essentially agricultural, and practically all the oney invested by Polish residents is in farms and the personal roperty essential to farming. There are a few Poles in business in e different towns, but they are not numerous, and comparatively ttle money is invested in commercial enterprises. It has been stimated that fully 90 per cent of the Polish farmers located in this olony are landowners, and either hold a fee-simple title to their nd or possess a valuable equity. None of the older settlers have debtedness on their land-that is, on first purchases-though some ho have bought additional real estate in later years have not fully aid for it.

Of the 43 typical farms investigated there were none with less an one-half of the land in a tillable condition and only 5 with ss than three-fourths tillable, while the remaining 38 show threeourths or more capable of being tilled. Only 2 of the farms have n area of less than 80 acres and none have under 40, while 14 are etween 80 and 120 acres, 11 are between 120 and 160 acres, 10 are 60 or over and less than 240 in extent, while 6 have 240 acres or

iore.

Of the farms investigated, the 5 with more than one-half and less han three-fourths of their area tillable, have an average area of 124 cres, and an average value of $34 per acre, or $4,170 per farm; the emaining 38, or those with three-fourths or more of their area under ultivation, average 150 acres to the farm, and are valued at $42 er acre, or $6,264 per farm. The values given for farms are those laced on them by their owners, and are probably a little higher. han their market value, due largely to the fact that the values f improvements are overestimated. The price of land has been onstantly advancing for the past ten years.

All debts which exist in the colony are for lands or improvements hereon. The Polish farmers have in many ways surpassed their American neighbors, considering their opportunities and the adverse onditions confronting the early settlers. In many instances they ave assumed debts for land and other obligations which the average American would consider hazardous, but nearly always they have been able to discharge these obligations. Many of those who came o the colony twenty or thirty years ago with only a few household ffects of practically no value, and bought on credit land which had o be cleared before a crop could be raised, now have large farms, with erds of live stock, and money in the bank. Several farmers have is much as $5,000 loaned to fellow-countrymen at a good rate of nterest, besides owning fertile, well-improved farms. One farmer, vho came to this locality thirty years ago with no money, owns $20,000 worth of mortgages in addition to 260 acres of improved land.

It is true that, while struggling to financial independence, the nhabitants did not maintain a very high standard of living, and that n each case the whole family, which was usually large, worked hard and incessantly. While a great majority of the farmers are out of lebt and make more than a good living, the spirit of economy and thrift which, more than any other cause, has enabled them to prosper, is still manifest.

The next shows the net value of personal property and real estat owned by the families investigated. From this it appears that of the 43 farmers reporting own real estate valued at $2,500 : $5,000, and 18 farmers value their farms at $5,000 and under $10,000 while 3 own farms valued at $10,000 or more. Live stock and impa ments on 9 farms are valued at more than $500 and less than $1,000 on 19 farms, at more than $1,000 and less than $1,500; on 14 fame at more than $1,500 and less than $2,500; and on 1 farm, at m than $2,500 and less than $5,000. Sixteen of the 43 farmers reporting had crops on hand valued at from $100 to $250; 20 farmers ha crops valued at more than $250 and less than $500; 5 farmers, me than $500 and less than $1,000; and 2 farmers, more than $1,000 an less than $1,500. Ten of the 43 families investigated reported ther total property as being worth more than $2,500 and less than $5,000 24 own property valued at $5,000 and less than $10,000, and 9 va their property at $10,000 or over.

TABLE 27.-Net value of all personal and real property now owned, 43 typical Poli families, southern Illinois.

In the statement which follows is presented a general financia summary for the 43 farms under consideration. This shows a tota real-estate valuation of $258,890 for the 43 farms. The number e farms showing indebtedness is unusually small; 4 farms report a tots indebtedness of $2,350. There is little doubt but that this is belo the true figures, however, although as noted above the majority the farms in the locality are free from debt. Another interesting fact brought out by this statement is the increase in real-estate holings. The aggregate amount purchased by the 43 farmers on first coming to the locality was 3,017 acres. These holdings have bee increased to 6,322 acres. The increase in value, although norma has been even more marked; the land was bought for an average $11 per acre and is now valued at $41 per acre. The present valua tion is probably a little higher than the price the land would bring in open market.

Farms leased and owned:

Total farms of race..

Average size of farm, acres.

Median farm, acres..

Kind of farms:

General

t

147.C

120.0

The standard of living among these Polish farmers constantly nproves with length of residence in this country. It is very easy to istinguish the older settlers from those who have come more recently. heir houses are cleaner and better furnished, and usually in a better ate of repair; more furniture is evident and it is of better quality. very family has some form of conveyance, the poorer ones using the irm wagon. In most instances the farmers own either a buggy or irrey, frequently both.

There is nothing to distinguish many of the earlier established and 1ore prosperous farmers' houses from the well-kept and fairly wellirnished homes of American farmers, with at least a parlor, and requently both parlor and family living room, in addition to the edrooms, dining room, and kitchen. In families where there are hildren who have been reared in this country the homes are always ore orderly and show clearly that more care is given to cleanliess and comfort than in the homes of the more recent immigrants or f those who have no children. A great many of the young women f the colony have been and are now employed as domestic servants a American homes, principally in St. Louis and neighboring towns. The knowledge they have acquired while engaged in such work has >een imparted to their parents, with the result that many household mprovements have been made. Ordinarily the Polish woman of this lass is not a good housekeeper. She finds the outdoor work in the ields and gardens more congenial, and the house is often neglected vhile she toils among the crops. Among the poorer families very little are is given to the home; the house is often in a state of disorler, the kitchen is unclean, and usually that food is served which can De most quickly prepared The fare is very coarse and often prepared under very unsatisfactory sanitary conditions. However, in a majority of cases the living conditions are better than with people of he same class employed in the manufacturing and mining industries. The principal food is meat (chiefly pork), white potatoes, and coffee,

• Not including 5 farms, 320 acres, not reporting complete data.

while vegetables in season, milk, butter, eggs, and fruit are items of considerable importance in the daily dietary of the household.

All children are taught to work as soon as they are old enough, and both boys and girls are kept at work most of the time, except when at school. The adult girls who stay at home in many of the more prosperous families work very little in the field, and some do no outdoor work, but a majority of the girls, if unmarried at the age of 17 or 18. secure outside employment. The wives of many of the more wealthy farmers devote practically all their attention to household duties, and some have made very commendable progress in beautifying their homes and making them attractive and comfortable.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.

Opportunities for employment in the community are limited. Ne industries are located within convenient reach of the colony. A large number of the young women secure work in the neighboring towns of Ashley, Centralia, Mount Vernon, and Nashville; but most of the young people who desire employment move to St. Louis or Chicago, where wages are higher, occupations are more varied, and the social environment is more attractive. The men enter factories of various kinds as skilled or often unskilled laborers, and the women usually find employment as domestic servants, shop girls, and fac tory hands. Coal mines, both north and south of the colony, employ a large number of laborers, but the Poles have manifested no tend ency to enter this industry. A few who live near the railroads find employment as section hands. There is but little demand for farm laborers, except among the American farmers, who occasionally employ help during the planting season and at harvest time. The wages paid farm hands are comparatively low even for immigrant agricultural laborers, varying from $15 to $20 per month, including board and washing. Employment can sometimes be obtained the entire year at this work; but as a usual practice laborers employed by the month are hired for a period extending from April to October or November. Transient farm hands earn from $1 to $1.50 per day, including board, during the harvesting season, when the highest wages are paid.

SOCIAL LIFE.

The social side of life is quite prominent in this Polish community. Social gatherings, dances, and picnics are the principal forms of amusement and recreation. The churches in the various communities are factors of much importance in fostering sociability. A picnic is given annually at Radom, under the auspices of the church at that place, at which refreshments are sold for the benefit of the church. This and other similar enterprises afford excellent opportunities for the people to enjoy themselves and at the same time contribute some material aid for religious purposes. A brass band at Radom composed of the Polish young men of the community surrounding the town, often gives concerts and goes to other communities in the colony to furnish music at public gatherings.

Various organizations are connected with the church, both for young men and for older members. These are in a sense benefit soci