Discussions. 29 



•day; their out-door labors gave them strong constitutions and a 

 hearty digestion, but many of their wives were feeble and of poor 

 health, and could not relish such a diet. They craved and needed 

 different food and more of a variety. Were the farmers to raise 

 an abundance of fruit and vegetables, it would do much to remedy 

 this evil; for without them, owing to the feeble constitution and 

 nervous temperament, induced by indoor labor and constant care, 

 many of our farmers' wives drag out a weary life. 



Mr. Stickney thought it would be beneficial if all our farmers 

 could read and consider the subject presented in Senator Arnold's 

 paper. The general practice in this matter was all wrong, yet 

 there is something to be said in excuse for the farmers. They have 

 many cares; the general farm crops are their main dependence; suc- 

 cess depends on these being pushed to the utmost, and receiving 

 constant attention; while the pecuniary results derived from horti- 

 cultural products are small, and hence are neglected in the hurry 

 of other work. Many who know the home value of fruits and 

 flowers, year after year do without them, by neglecting to get trees 

 and plants and to sow the seeds at the proper time; it is their inten- 

 tion to do it, but when the time comes the pressure of the regular 

 farm duties crowds it out of mind, or there seems to be no place for 

 it, and as the season for this work is short, it passes unimproved. 

 Here is room for horticulturists, and those who, by experience, 

 know the value of these things, to do a missionary work. A rose- 

 bush, a few strawberry or flower plants, a tree or shrub, and seeds 

 presented to such, and in fact, to many farmers, would perhaps lead 

 to an advance in this direction, and tend to develop a taste and 

 love for these things. , 



Mr. J. W. Wood said it would be well to consider this subject 

 from the farmer's standpoint. He had followed farming for quite 

 a number of years, and had taken special pains to provide an 

 abundance of fruit, vegetables, etc., for home use, and it had been 

 his experience that to do it successfully, much labor and constant 

 vigilance was necessary, and often, even with these, failure would 

 occur. If the corn and wheat or other farm crops failed, all was 

 gone, for it is on these that the farmer depends for his living; while 

 a failure in horticultural products does not bring such disaster; 

 hence the first must receive the greatest and best care, and the 

 other generally suffers for want of the constant attention which is 



