142 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



importance of it both in theory and in my daily life. But I do 

 protest against this prostitution of his vital forces by the farnier 

 to so low an object as the mere accomplishment of work ; it is both 

 unnecessary and unreasonable, and beneath tbe manhood of one 

 who is created in the image of God. 



It is not the health of the farmer alone that claims our attention 

 to-day, but also that of his family. First the farmer's wife, what 

 is her status as regards health? She does not take as high a 

 stand as her husband does; facts carry out what the natural 

 supposition would be. Her labor is as incessant and of a far 

 more vexatious character, is performed within- doors, free from the 

 exhilarating effects of air and sunshine, and she receives less 

 stimulus from her surroundings; add to this the bearing and rear- 

 ing of children, and labors that she is obliged to perform when 

 the functions of her system require rest, and one can readily see 

 that it must rank lower. 



It has always been an enigma to me why any woman would 

 marry a farmer. You may in turn express surprise why they will 

 a physician, but they do both, inscrutable as it may seem. I have 

 known the farmer to select his wife as he would a mate for his 

 horse, for the amount of labor that she can perform, freely 

 questioning with his neighbors if she were able to keep her 

 whiffletree even with his, as they drew the burden of labor, tender 

 regard and love having a subordinate place. Think what the 

 farmer's wife does for him when he brings her to his dwelling and 

 she commences the fulfillment of her duties. From that time on 

 she does for hira and the hired men, the cooking, the washing and 

 mending, makes many of her husband's garments and all of her 

 own, and those of the children as they successively appear, attends 

 to the dairy, and on some few fai-ms feeds the pigs and poultry, 

 and lugs in wood and water for the household purposes. Is it any 

 surprise that nature soon exhausts herself and the woman dies? 

 Did you ever think how many among your own acquaintances are 

 .living with their second or third wife? Compare it with the 

 converse and you will be surprised at the different results. What 

 killed the woman? The certificate of her death filed with the 

 town clerk will give the scientific name of the disease that was the 

 immediate cause, and at the funeral the minister doubtless said 

 that it was one of the mysterious dispensations of Providence. 

 But I tell you that back of it was the toil of years,* cheered with 



I 



