1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 253 



If small fruits be her choice, she may lal)or under a dis- 

 advantage in raising the crop ; yet, in picking and packing 

 the fruit she has no equal. A light touch and an exacting 

 standard of excellence place her in the front rank. The 

 berries which sell for the highest price in our market are 

 packed by farmers' wives and daughters, and in many cases 

 picked by them. If poultry be selected, then let her have 

 no hens on the farm. Birds they must all be to her, and 

 objects of faithful ministry, well nigh of atfection. 



One June morning the young ^vife of a farmer picked a 

 crate of strawberries, then drove with him across the coun- 

 try to a social and literary meeting of farmers and their 

 wives. None the less did she enjoy the good things there 

 because she had earned them by taking care that work at 

 home did not suffer in her absence. No less beautiful was 

 she because cheek and hand w^ore a becoming brown. 



A portion of each summer day is spent outdoors. Often 

 the evening meal, spread beneath the trees, is a family picnic. 



Young farmer, too shrew^d to marry, how can you do with- 

 out such a wife at this, — helpmeet, chum? Yet there are 

 more to be had for the asking. 



A Worcester County farmer's wife made sixty dollars net 

 on pickled cucuml)ers. A Norfolk County farmer's daughter 

 has cleared one hundred dollars from primroses. The writer 

 has received seventy-five cents a box for strawberries, that 

 did their best to win, and the praise bestowed on them was 

 more satisfying than the cash they brought. 



There is a field under glass in which we can work with 

 pleasure and profit. Shy flowers, tomatoes, Black Ham- 

 burgs, out of season, may be had for the coaxing. 



At a recent fair there was an exhibit of preserves and 

 jellies which easily distanced all competitors. I was glad to 

 notice, from the exhibitor's price list, that she was aware of 

 the quality of her work, and charged accordingly. 



The farmer's wife who is well to do may set a good ex- 

 ample in thrift. Should only those do this who felt com- 

 pelled to take the step, much of the force of example would 

 be lost. 



A man's business required him to drive through a manu- 

 facturing settlement in delivering straw to be sewed by 



