678 BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



conditions. As a result we turn with more interest to all such subjects 

 and in a manner regulate ourselves accordingly, that is, when it is simply 

 a case of food. 



The subject of foods and their preparation is a complicated one 

 and deserves serious thought. We can not expect to counteract years 

 of abuse in a short time. It should not be such a difficult thing to grasp 

 the situation and make a start in the right direction, if we go at it as most 

 mothers do the care of their children, ;is a labor of love, freeing our minds 

 from all thought of drudgery or debasement as connected with every 

 phase of our household economy. 



HoAvever, we seldom find a woman now who will si)ealv of household 

 cares in a degrading way — that, too, is a matter of education. The modern 

 girl in most well-to-do families uoav, rather prides hersejf on her l^nowl- 

 edge of practical household duties and finds them not incompatil)le with 

 higher education and parlor accomplishments. The culture which educa- 

 tion gives makes them realize more fully than has ever been done before 

 that to get good service from the employed you must be able not only to 

 direct, but know when a thing is well done and the amount of material 

 necessary in the doing. This takes knowledge, foresight and the skill 

 of a military general to get the highest results. It also takes hard labor 

 as every housekeeper knows. There are times when work will crowd 

 and such conditions are unavoidable. The same is true of men in the 

 factories, fields, offices and storehouses. Work will crowd at times and 

 the only thing to do is to do it with as little worry and friction as possible. 

 It is more often worry that hurts than the work. In no department of 

 life's obligations does wrong conception of duty work greater evil than 

 In the home. Many of us are still old-fashioned enough to believe that 

 every avenue leading out into the Avorld takes much coloring from the 

 home, and success or failure dates back to that spot. If we would send 

 cut cheerful workers let the pitch be taken at the breakfast table. Much 

 has been written and said about the evening fireside — poetically treated 

 in song, the gathering together— the day's work done, beautiful companion- 

 ship and all that^1»ut whoever wrote or read a poem on the breakfast 

 hpur, the time of all times that gives tone to the day's work, making it 

 possible for the evening gathering to be a restful and a joyous occasion. 



Family good fellowship over the morning coffee when the duties of the 

 day are laid out, will rival any time the evening tea, when weary witli 

 the day's cares. Breakfast served in sections is not a very enlivening 

 occasion for anyone, and usually leaves the cook in a very unamiable 

 frame of mind. Hence some of these little things knock all the poetry 

 cut of the evening hour. It is management and foresight that regulates 

 all these little affairs. It is of no use to envy Mrs. Blank because she 

 has such a happy household and seemingly everything her own way. 

 Jietter try to find put why Mrs. Blank is so fortunate. You may be sur- 



