4« STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of time which prevents us from doing all that we should do, but the diffi- 

 culty lies in the lack of knowledge of the right use of time, and in its use 

 so that very best results possible shall be reached; what difficult prob- 

 lems are we required to solve. 



Without question, a good system, properly applied^ will be of great 

 service here. Nature in all of her works teaches us the value and the 

 benefits of system. The man who accomplishes the least is he who works 

 without system, and, of course, he's also the most hurried of men, flying 

 around within a peck-measure and having no time to even look over the 

 sides and of course, he has no time to attend an institute — so he's not 

 present — but some of his relatives — near relatives — perhaps^ are here, 

 and they can lend these suggestions to him, but be sure to have them 

 returned, so that you may have their benefits also. (It's good to be 

 "^neighborly," but one ought not to ''lend" that which he may most need 

 himself.) 



In the home, upon the farm, in winter time, the hours that may be 

 passed 



"AROUND THE EVENING LAMP" 



gleaning from good books, the best thoughts of the best minds, of ail the 

 ages: this is one of the ^'possibilities" of the farm-home. Have we used 

 it? Do we use it? Shall we use it and to its highest limit? 



In my childhood's home^ and in my home of later years; one of the 

 brightest pictures thereof which hangs on memory's walls, is that of the 

 hours passed "around the evening lamp." Though the "evening lamp" 

 of my childhood's home was the regular domestic tallow candle, with its 

 mellow — very mellow — light, and the amount of "suuffing" it would en- 

 dure was one of the "possibilities" of mj earliest recollection; but petro- 

 leum and electricity have given the final "snuff-out" to the "tallow dip." 



But of our reading during these lelsui'e winlor evening hoars — 



WHAT SHALL UE ITS CHARACTER? 



I would not advise the fullest reading of the daily press, which, it seems 

 to me, has, in many instances, increased in quantity, but at the expense 

 of quality, and mingled with the grain much of chaff and harmful seeds. 

 There are notable exceptions, but such appears the general condition. 

 But of "good books" the supply is ample,, if one but chooses wisely and 

 properly. Classed among these are the works of Charles Dickens, Miss 

 Muloch's "John Halifax," George Eliot's "Adam Bede," Miss Holly's 

 "Sweet Cicily." In truth the supply is almost limitless. As a flower 

 imparts its beauties and its blessings, yet without diminution, so doth 

 a good book. 



Of talents, who is there to assert that he has used, to the utmost, those 

 entrusted to him? And right upon the farm and in the farm-home is 

 abundant opportunity for use of highest and best talent. The farm is, 

 truly, a great laboratory, wherein we may broaden our powers of obser- 

 vation and research and develop ability to trace from cause to effect; and 

 don't fear that you'll get too high up in your calling as a farmer. Be 

 willing to venture somewhat, as was the man who said, "I don't care how 

 high up I get, just so that I keep one foot on the ground." 



And now, what of the opportunities which come to us upon the farm 



