The state at large has not heard more encouraging news of progress in any of its institutions than Warden Simpson sets forth in his report on the management and operation of the prison farm at Jackson. The farm is not a big one--only 30 acres in extent--and it admits of little more than experimenting. But the warden and his charges have done some important work on it in the summer now ending. They have grown cabbages, peas, beets, parsnips, carrots, onions, radishes, lettuce, cucumbers, sweet corn and tomatoes enough of the staples to supply the prison for a whole year, and enough of the seasonal produce to give the prisoners fresh vegetables during the summer. One of the new silos will be filled with the ensilage from the green corn. The shelves in the fruit cellars hold 5,000 quarts of canned strawberries, while the memory of seven “feeds” of fresh berries and cream, not to mention shortcake, still lingers with the prisoners. Fifty bushels of huckleberries have been picked from the prison farm marsh. When the tomatoes and apples are ripe, 5,000 gallons of them will be put up for the winter table. In four months 133 hogs have been fattened and slaughtered, yielding 22,077 pounds of fresh pork. All this has been done at a monetary profit to the state. For the bigger profit reference is made to the warden’s own words: “The inmate working upon the farm, in addition to his useful service, is forming for himself habits of industry, growing fond of his work, perhaps to the extent of following this vocation at the time of his parole and release, thus taking him away from questionable haunts and evil associates known to him of former years in his city home. In my opinion there is no work, trade or calling to which men striving for a livelihood may fall heir, so conducive to the development of health, happiness, honesty and independence, combined with all the attributes of a good citizen, as practical and successful farming.” * * * * * _The Montpelier (Vt.) Jail._--_The Review_ mentioned briefly the remarkable success of Sheriff Tracy of Montpelier, Vermont, in allowing his prisoners to go out to work for farmers and other employers. In the Atlantic Monthly for August Morrison I. Swift tells interestingly of the results lately: “The state of Vermont contains a prison where the inmates are treated upon a novel plan. They are trusted and treated like other human beings; they come and go almost as freely as the members of the jailer’s own family; so far as possible, whatever suggests punishment or disgrace is banished, and they are made to feel that their imprisonment is designed to improve them as men and to restore them to social life not only with full self-respect but with the cordial respect of the community.