REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 355 



flo ks and herds by closer attention and introducing better strains of 

 blood, then, and not till then, the law of progress will ever urge us on 

 to improve our homes and bring this world of ours as near as possible 

 to its highest perfection. As to what shall we plant for family use — 

 plant the best and all of them you can get. To the friends of our so- 

 ciety, I say, plant, take care of what you plant, do good and be happy. 



woma:n's woek in hokticulture. 



BY MISS IDA CRU3IE. 



True womanhood is ever ready to respond to calls for the amelior- 

 ation of the condition of mankind. In the sick room, in the contagious 

 atmosphere of the hospital, and even amid the thickest showers of 

 deadly missiles on the battle field, her presence, her tender care and 

 soothing words have been recognized as the most powerful aids to re- 

 covery, or the most quieting sedatives for the dying patient. 



All true and noble women are heroines by nature, ready for any 

 emergency that may arise to develop their latent powers. Heroes and 

 heroines are creatures of circumstance patiently working until the great 

 event of their lives shall suddenly arise to spring into action this hid- 

 den power, unknown, perhaps, even to themselves, which when 

 aroused may electrify the world. . 



Look, for illustration, at the case of Miss Long, the Missouri hero- 

 ine in the rescue of the lost children. Until the very moment when 

 the madman had left them to their fate of certain death in the trackless 

 forest and furious freezing midnight storm, IVIiss Long had never been 

 known outside the range of her own quiet neighborhood. The next 

 morning to her own innocent surprise the little lady awoke to find her- 

 self a heroine. She had a brother, why did not he become a hero by 



