42 THE LURE OF THE LAND 



clemency of the weather. I have no word, therefore, 

 to say in opposition to the proper care of the cow. As 

 is so often the case, however, in business, the quest 

 of the almighty dollar blinds one to the amenities of 

 life. The farmer's wife and daughter should also be 

 cared for. When I purchased the old colonial stone 

 house in Loudoun County, Virginia, I found neither 

 in the house nor on the farm any sanitary convenience 

 for man or beast. I thought my first duty was to my 

 family, and before beginning my dairy barn, I installed 

 a complete hot and cold water service in the old resi- 

 dence. A small bedroom was converted into a bath- 

 room and closet and hot and cold water were made to 

 circulate through the old rooms before the foundations 

 of the dairy barn were laid. In so far as I know, at 

 that time there was not a farmer's house in my immedi- 

 ate vicinity which was provided with modern, ordinary, 

 sanitary appliances. The object lesson, however, was 

 not lost, and many of my neighbors have not only built 

 silos since I built the first one in the neighborhood, but 

 also have put modern sanitary conveniences in their 

 houses. 



EVEEY DAY AND ALL DAY. 



The farmer's wife is not supposed to occupy an en- 

 viable position. Her working day is quite as long as 

 that of her husband, and the husband has one ad- 

 vantage, namely, that one day in seven he rests. Not 

 so with his devoted spouse ! The rest-day is often her 

 busiest one, for neighbors may come in to visit and to 

 dine. Thus her duties extend over 365 days, or 8,760 

 hours, or 525,600 minutes, or 31,536,000 seconds yearly. 

 The farmer's wife, therefore, is entitled to consider- 

 ation. She is poorly paid for her services, for her hus- 



