146 TEANSACTIONS OF THE HOETICULTUEAL 



itself by abusing the animal, for when doing so you are fostering a 

 propensity for cruelty to a greater or less degree. 



I find when children request certain pleasures and means of 

 amusement, it is best to stop and weigh the subject well Ijefore we 

 give the final yes or no. Never deny them pleasures when there is 

 no reason why they should not have them. "Amusements are the 

 means of rest, the power to recreate the mind and body, to refresh 

 the weary," and as all will have them, furnish those as near as pos- 

 sible that will instruct and elevate as well as amuse. 



In providing amusements we will find no easy task. The selfish- 

 ness that all of us possess to do only those things which please us 

 most, should not enter into it at all, because our own wishes, desires 

 and plans will have to be thwarted many times if good results are 

 obtained from the amusements granted. We must feel the necessity 

 and act upon it, of making our rural homes pleasant and attractive, 

 and the life of our rural girl not a burden, but a pleasure, if we ex- 

 pect them to love it, and not constantly be striving to find a means 

 of escaping from the acquired dislike of such a life. 



" Learn to live, and live to learn, 

 Ignorance like a tire doth burn; 

 Little tasks make large return. 



" Toil when willing, groweth less. 

 'Always play ' may seem to bless, 

 Yet the end is weariness." 



How true the words of the poet : " We must early begin to 

 impress them with the thought that 'always play' does bring weari- 

 ness, lost opportunities for good, habits acquired of objectionable 

 character in making a true girl or woman." 



The words of Dr. Vincent in his lecture on " The Boy," ring in 

 my ears many times when 1 wish to defer some needed training of 

 the little ones under my care. The question was asked him when 

 the training of a child should begin ? His answer, he always said, 

 was "the day they are born," meaning, we could not commence too 

 young. Such seems, especially, to be the case, if we wish to train 

 them in habits of industry and usefulness We can not leave them 

 until ten or twelve years of age and then think the good habits will 

 come to them spontaneously and without effort. 



It is a recognized fact that there are few cases known to the 

 world where a man has become prominent in any calling who 

 had not a superior woman for his mother. The importance, then, of 

 proper training and education of our girls. Education ! How many 

 different ideas of what that word means. In its broadest and fullest 

 sense it implies the cultivation and development of all the faculties, 

 mental and physical, which will make a perfect man or woman. It 

 is not always those that can speak in the greatest number of 



