176 ANNUAL REPORT. 



food, and clothing. American families of but moderate means, go 

 through one round of twisting, turning, planning and economizing 

 to keep up appearances. Is it strange that iusane asylums are 

 numerous, spacious and well filled, or that new varieties of nervous 

 diseases are constantly being discovered ? A recent English visi- 

 tor, Herbert Spencer, the philosopher, gave his word of warning. 

 Women, with their sensitive and delicate organizations, are perhaps 

 greater sufferers than men, and especially need relief and recreation. 



The usual agency employed to relieve overstrained nerves, is a 

 multiplication of artificial amusements which but continues the 

 fatal excitement. Where accessible, theatres and operas are 

 crowded. Can glare of lights and gay costumes, constrained sit- 

 ting, late hours and appeals to emotion, prepare one for repose ? 

 Does reading high-pressure novels, or whirling in the dance, or 

 jolting in the cars, give tranquility ? There may be intellectual 

 or artistic merit in these entertainments, but not rest. 



If recreation is to renew or refresh, it must supply what every- 

 day occupations do not, natural, unstudied pleasures. The average 

 woman is confined within doors much more than the average man, 

 and her work is more monotonous. Her recreation, therefore, 

 ousfht to be out of the house and away from dull routine. A 

 physician, coming into Wisconsin at an early day was told there 

 would be no business for him. ''I will wait," he replied, "till folks 

 finish off their houses, furnish and shut them up, then I'll have 

 business." In well-ventilated rooms there is liable to be some 

 carbonic acid from breaths, or drain and cellar germ-life, or dust 

 of disintegrating walls and furniture, or too much shade. Pure, 

 out door air has never had a reputation for making people sick. 

 Sunshine itself is a highly recommended medicine. Communion 

 with nature constantly brings one into contact with fresh influ- 

 ences. The earth is forever sweeping on to new positions in space. 

 There are never two days, nor two sunsets, nor two trees precisely 

 alike. Floods, drouth, blight, or grubs, upset all calculations, 

 make every season, for some reason or other, very remarkable, and 

 continually test "the memory of the oldest inhabitant." 



Lawn mowers, garden rakes, and hoes, are not beyond the 

 strength of a creature that can roll pie-crust and wash clothes. 

 Gathering and planting seeds is light work. Women have just 

 the promptness to insure success in early gardening. It does not 

 require genius to graft and bud trees. Several women have prac- 

 ticed this art successfully, one of whom has lately written, on this 

 subject, an interesting article for the Youth's Companion. 



