274 ANNUAL RErORT OF TIIK Off. Doc. 



account of the frost. The question arises in one's mind, was it Jack- 

 Frost or Wail Street frost that did tlie greatest amount of damage. 

 Our government has spent and may well continue to spend large 

 sums of money for the enlightenment and uplift of tlie farmer 

 through scientilic investigations. 



liecreation means a giving of fresh life, reanimation, inspiration 

 and diversion; not dissii)ation, alcoholism, tobaceo using and such 

 like so-called but misnamed recreations. The trinity of man, body, 

 mind and spirit, must be kept in mind when considering the proper 

 recreation for the farmer. The student and otlice laborer may iind 

 recreation in a game of golf or tennis, but a farmer secures recre- 

 ation by a cessation (;f physical activity. The agitation for the 

 eight-hour system is perhaps uncalled for, the farmer as he usually 

 observes it quite closely. The only trouble is, he too often gets 

 two eight-hour periods in one day. 



During the pressure of seed time and harvest, extra effort and 

 long hours are often necessary, but many farmers could, we believe, 

 do better work and in many cases more work if more time were 

 taken for recreation. There is no pleasure in driving a jaded horse; 

 and the farmer who is constantly working to the straining point 

 gets little if any pleasure out of life. The farmer's teams as well 

 as his hands would often be in position to do better service by a 

 shortening of the hours of labor. 



Intellectual recreation is quite essential all to the farmer's well 

 being and should be of a higher type than is often to be obtained 

 in neighborhood gossip. We do not wish to exclude all neighborly 

 visitation, but when it becomes too frequent, "familiarity will likely 

 breed contempt." The daily press may be read with profit if done 

 sparingly. The agricultural press should be and often is a means 

 of new ideas and better methods, if one has enough adaptive in- 

 genuity to assimilate rather than gulp the experiences of others. 

 The same may be said of Experiment Station reports and bulletins. 

 The Farmer's Institute is, if it is all it ought to be in management 

 and speakers, a valuable means of inspiration and education. 



If it is true, and we believe it is, that from the farm comes largely 

 the brawn, brain and moral force to run the business of the world, 

 there needs to be enough spiritual dynamics in the farm home to 

 help its best product, the boy; to help build State Capitols without 

 public scandal being connected therewith. One of the most success- 

 ful lawyers of Lancaster when asked recently the key to his success 

 replied, "His mother's prayers in the old farm home." We may 

 wish to be wholly independent creatures and may profess not to 

 need spiritual recreation through prayer and meditation, but if we 

 do we are as the meteor that has left its proper orb and will meet 

 with disaster as we get into atmospheres with Avhich we cannot 

 cope. 



As per the universal law of gravitation for all physical bodies, 

 there is one central force to which it behooves us as dependent, 

 created and yet creative beings to remain attached in order that 

 we may be enabled to work out the best in our lives for which Ave 

 were intended. Thus, the time spent in church going, attendance 

 at the mid-week prayer service and family prayer and devotion is 

 not misspent but well spent, as it affords recreation to the spiritual 

 life — the motive factor in right living. 



