208 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



she may have help from them, if she takes them away from 

 home, or can leave them at home without fear, while she 

 goes among her neighbors for a little brightness. I want 

 her to get out doors, to feel such an interest in every part 

 of the farm that she will take a walk to some part of it 

 almost every day, or will do some almost daily work in the 

 garden. 



A carelessly kept flower garden is not out- door exercise 

 enough. If it is well kept, it may be enough, but the woman 

 who emancipates herself from senseless demands of dress 

 and food, may do more than keep a flower garden; she may 

 make herself an adept in the care of small quantities of 

 small fruits, or in the growing of celery, of cabbage, of rad- 

 ishes; or she may undertake to study the habits of our fast- 

 disappearing wild flowers, and have a little bed of ferns 

 and orchids, of delicate hepaticas and graceful dicentras; 

 and with every breath of fresh air she will draw in fresh 

 strength for the trials of the indoor life, and perchance will 

 strengthen the young life so dependent upon hers. 



I have been wondering if we might not do some mission- 

 ary v7ork, save some soul from death, in the meantime. 

 Perhaps I am proposing too much but so many times when 

 I lived in Milwaukee and saw wretched houses and wretched 

 lives, saw the forgotten, the unloved, the uncared for child- 

 ren of humanity, I have longed for country homes for them, 

 and I have wondered if such homes might not save them 

 from the certain sin and sorrow of the future. I have won- 

 dered if a true home and love and trust for these waifs of 

 humanity might not save their bodies, minds and souls from 

 destruction, and if the farmer's wife might not train up a 

 loving, helpful adopted daughter. Last, but far from least, 

 I want all mothers but especially these farm mothers to not 

 only talk and read with the fathers on questions concerning 

 the greater tomes including the less, but to feel that they 

 too, are responsible for the right conduct of all these forms 

 of government. I want the motherhood to stand equal, side 

 by side, with the fatherhood, and together study and plan 

 for best results. I want no one-sided government in home 



