86 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



during the past few years precept and example have been placed 

 freely before the home owners of Minnesota. Each year chronicles 

 an mcreasing interest in the great "outdoors" which forms such an 

 important feature of an ideal home life. 



Many farmers with their families are leaving their homes and 

 flocking to the towns and smaller cities. The frequent reason given 

 for such procedure is that their children have left them, not liking 

 country life, and they themselves care not to continue the stren- 

 uous labor incidental to farm work. To visit many of these desert- 

 ed homes, the great wonder is how they could have remained long- 

 er with any feeling of content or self respect. 



Strange as it may seem, the plea for improved conditions in 

 country living and surroundings receives its greatest support 

 among intelligent city people, who are awakening to the fact that 

 the city with its crowded buildings and infrequent breathing 

 spaces is not the most desirable place on earth in which to live. 

 The possession of a country home, with its wholesome environ- 

 ment, is the ambition of many hard working men and women who 

 enjoy to the utmost the simplicity, rest and retirement that the sum- 

 mer months offer them. 



Country bred men and women can make more of home life, 

 can have more beautiful surroundings than city people ever dream 

 of, if they will only keep their eyes and ears open and take ad- 

 vantage of the many ideas that are offered them, together with the 

 practical advice of those who have made a study of the conserva- 

 tion of nature's forces and the utilization of the materials so lavish- 

 ly strewn around for the use of those who choose to draw from the 

 supply. 



There is not a periodical in the land that does not to a greater 

 or less degree uphold the beauty and the desirability of outdoor 

 life. In them we find innumerable nature studies, given in the 

 form of interesting stories of animals, birds, insects and even of 

 the heretofore supposed to be cold-blooded fishes. Even they, 

 we are told, are sentient with varying degrees and phases of the 

 universal life. 'Tis well ! Let the good work go on until the time 

 arrives when these lesser inhabitants of the world will be appreciat- 

 ed more for the part they play in a beautiful landscape than for their 

 possible food value. 



At the Federation Headquarters at the State Fair the Woman's 

 Auxiliary was active in its efforts to awaken and foster an interest 

 in the artistic arrangement of the average home, including rural 

 homes. Bulletins, circulars and other literature were freely distrib- 

 uted. Scaled plans were attractively displayed, and some one was 



