1906] THE farmer's best investment. 83 



*' She does n 't mind. She knows I would if I had time. ' ' So 

 they turn the hens out to scratch and wallow in the dust and 

 dirt of the front yard. What can be more discouraging to the 

 spirit of the average woman who is striving to make for herself 

 and family an ideal home, than a shiftless husband? How can 

 you men be so conceited as to believe that such treatment is 

 conducive to faithfulness? 



I cannot but notice the wonderful improvements in homes 

 during the past few years. This is honest and commendable, 

 This striving to excel, to have all the modern improvements 

 that one can afford in their homes. Think less of accumulat- 

 ing the almighty dollar, think more of surrounding your homes 

 with beautiful things — trees, flowers, music, paintings, books, 

 everything that is a delight to yourself and children. Make 

 your home so beautiful that " Next to God thy home shall be," 

 for therein is all that you love. Look at the children brought 

 up in such surroundings, they unconsciously absorb these 

 beauties into their nature. 



The one thing necessary to make homes more ideal, and what 

 I believe would elevate women most, is not to love themselves 

 so much, but to love men more, their fathers, and husbands and 

 brothers, the wage earners of the homes, who are entitled to 

 far more affection, consideration and respect than they usually 

 get. American women, as a rule, do not appreciate what they 

 have in American men. A woman's first duty in life is love 

 and allegiance to home. 



First of all, in home-making, as in everythmg else, brains 

 count. They make themselves felt, above all in method and 

 organization. Systematic effort not only produces much greater 

 results, but at the cost of much less wear and tear to the per- 

 son putting it forth. On the other hand, because the superior 

 intelligence of the home-maker would enable her to cook a little 

 more economically, or to sweep floors a little more thoroughly 

 than some one she could hire, it is a great mistake for her to 

 try and do so. The economy is but trifling compared to the 

 strain on her health and temper. 



For the wife, mother and housekeeper, let us establish as a 



