INSPECTION OF OUR STATE FORESTS. 447 
features of management to be suggested from other sources, I do 
not refer to the plans of inspection embodied in the proposed bill. 
All persons who are deeply interested in forestry preservation in 
our state certainly desire a change in the aspect which our old 
methods have taken as tothe value and uses of our forests. We 
should treat the state’s possessions less as stock of lumber in the 
rough tree, to be sold at the best possible price or to be held by the 
state to bull the lumber market, but rather manage these forests as 
a yearly crop, to be harvested when ripened and replanted when 
cut ; and look upon them not as our possessions to be realized upon 
- in our life time, but as an estate to be wisely administered for the 
good of our children and our children’s children. 
Let us individually adopt for our golden rule of forestry the 
precept, “Plant for others as you would that others had planted 
for you.” 
“Give fools their gold, and knaves their power, 
Let fortune’s bubbles rise and fall; 
Who sows a field or trains a flower 
Or plants a tree is more than all.” 
A PLEA FOR THE FARMER’S WIFE. 
MRS. CHAS. E. BLETHEN, WALNUT GROVE. 
Now, I have a mind to say a word or two in faror of the farmer’s 
wires, since reading Mrs. O. C. Gregg’s article in the March num- 
ber on “The Five P’s.” I wonder if she ever tried to raise ‘‘Pansies, 
Petunias, Phlox, Pinks and Poppies” wheré a lot of pigs, turkeys and 
chickens had full sway. I know of more than one farmer’s wife and 
daughter who has tried to raise all these, and more too, living in 
sight of our own home, whose spirit is discouraged, and on account 
of it she has become, so far as trying to have the lovely flowers in 
her yard, a “Poor, Proud, Peevish, Passive, Purposeless” farmer’s 
wife and daughter.” Ido sincerely believe that if our dear friend 
Mrs. Gregg, would or could persuade our farmers to fence our 
door-yards and give us a chance we would show you all what 
we could do, and perhaps ourown yard fence would be finished— 
it is almost a year now since it was begun, and it is just half 
done. And yet I think I am favored to what many are: but I have 
more than once after weeding my flowers and sprinkling them in 
the evening gone out the next day to find a dozen or more chick- 
ens enjoying a most luxurious dust bath right in the middle of my 
choicest kinds. Is it not enough to make one “ Peevish,” and with 
all the “Pluck, Patience and Persistence” one has, such a state of 
things is too “Practical” for the farmer’s wife and daughters to raise 
many flowers. 
I enjoyed reading Mrs. Gregg’s piece very much, but hope she or 
some one else will write a companion for it to the farmers, in be- 
half of a small plat of ground being fenced for the benefit of the 
wives and daughters. Most of our farmers think it time wasted to 
put out any labororstrength around the dooryard. Is it too “Prac- 
tical” to say all that many seem to care for is getting the crops in 
the ground in the spring, harvesting, hauling it off to market, and 
some place to sleep and eat while doing it? Oh, for an inspiration, 
and for more pride to beautify our homes, making them look to the 
weary, Care-worn wife, the most lovely spot on earth! 
