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THE GUIDE T( > NATURE 



The Sherwood Lecture-series. 

 The Sherwood Series of lectures, 

 also being given at this time is espe- 

 cially intended to call attention, 

 among the young, of both sexes, to the 

 earning power of soil. Many of our 

 young people, of rural districts, go, at 

 the call of cities, to struggle and to 

 -in iu ci ingested localities. 



( )ur young women, through occupy- 

 ing the places otherwise open to men, 

 make it difficult for the latter to marry. 

 The girls who marry, being supposed 

 equal to managing household econo- 

 mies to keep within the income, are 

 too frequently found to be impossible 

 agents. The)- know nothing of cook- 

 ing, sewing or of managing to main- 

 tain family health, and, perhaps, in a 

 majority of cases, they care less. 

 They have been schooled to the bustle 

 of business-life; to contact with the 

 many. 



Life's struggle, under the circum- 

 stances, involves debt, discouragement, 

 and, frequently, divorce. 



We are showing young people that, 

 under proper management, every foot 

 of soil has an earning power. It holds 

 a possibility for those desiring inde- 

 pendence, without resort to the strug- 

 gle for existence in cities. 



In giving these lectures by those 

 "who know" we give, to every member 

 present, one, or more, packages of gar- 

 den seeds together with a suggestion 

 to use the same in starting home gar- 

 dens. 



The Silent Nest. 



BY GEORGE KUNGLK. 



A little bird lay wounded ; 



A shot had found her breast; 

 Beyond, three little baby-birds 



Were calling from a nest. 

 She heard them, and, with struggling wing, 



In anguish tried to pass 

 Beyond, to reach the cherished nest 



She owned amidst the grass. 



But nevermore her heart would warm. 



Her wing spread out to shield 

 The babies in their cradle-bed, 



Nor speed across the field 

 To gather food. The baby-cries 



Grew fainter till at last 

 No voices called; the nest was still; 



No bird-wing drifted past! 



The Birds Are Returning. 



The' return of the bird- is at ham!. 

 Each day will bring to us little familiar 

 friends to rejoice about our doors, 

 across the meadow, and along the 

 w i ii idpath. 



We are the pledged friends of the 

 birds. Let us welcome them, not as 

 thoughtless intruders who disturb them 

 rashly in their hidden haunts, but by a 

 friendliness that prompts us to write 

 down a name, with a date beside it, as 

 we see a wing drift past, or hear a song 

 under the gable. Let us watch the 

 little personal traits of our friends in 

 feathers; to note the number of days of 

 buildingtime ; the secrets, as far as may 

 be, of brooding-days, the character of 

 food fed to the young, and the respec- 

 tive habits of mates who minister be- 

 side little cradles. 



Your help is solicited by the U. S. 

 Government in gathering such facts 

 concerning our little brothers of the air. 

 It would give me pleasure to furnish 

 you with blanks for use in this con- 

 nection and I do not hesitate to promise 

 you pleasure through your investment 

 in time and interest. 



REPORT OF OBSERVATIONS. 



You who are observers have noted, 

 and will, no doubt note again, inter- 

 esting little facts, in connection with 

 plant and bird-life, and of other forms of 

 nature, will you not pass on the pleasure 

 to others of us who may have been less 

 fortunate? We of The Guide to 

 Nature, would appreciate the favor of 

 your remembrance of us of this de- 

 partment when you have something, 

 in brief words, telling of some secret 

 you have learned from a stone, a living- 

 thing, a flower. 



If you are a lover of the wild flower I 

 would be glad to send blanks, for re- 

 ports of the wild flora of your locality. 



Have you photographs of the butter- 

 fly von saw poised on a flower, of the 

 humming bird weaving its nest, of a 

 bit of the Wild flower riches on a 

 roadside? Perhaps if you have none 

 today, you may have, as spring deep- 

 ens to summer when you may remem- 

 ber we are here to thank you for copies. 



