OUR COUNTRY HO M E 



farm lands, even planting forests; as a people we are just learning 

 the delights of real life. When we think of the vast treeless tracts 

 in Michigan and Minnesota swept by fire or by the ruthless hand 

 of civilized man. we must be grateful for this new spirit of upbuild- 

 ing, of patient labor for the benefit of future generations. In the 

 government reserves in both Germany and France, how pleasing 

 it is to see the tiny spruces and pines, whole acres of them, perhaps 

 a foot high, to be left alone for a sufficient time to attain their per- 

 fect growth. This takes, I believe, about twenty-five years. But 

 has not our government evolved a much more beautiful system of 

 forestry ? Here all the trees of a certain regulated size may be cut 

 down each year, yet the stately forest in all its growing comeliness 

 is carefully preserved. 



One comforting thought to that mass of people who have always 

 lived in the city is, that they will enjoy each phase of country life 

 much more than the old rural inhabitants. It was predicted that 

 probably the charm lay for us too in the novelty of the experience, 

 and of course that could not last; but we find a continued nov- 

 elty, and after five years our interest, instead of diminishing, has 



increased little bv little until it fills our lives with its intensitv and 

 ^ 



we see stretching before us long years of glad accomplishment. 



It is fortunate that none of us wishes to profit by the example 

 of his fellow man ; half the joy of living is learning by experience. 

 Another cheering circumstance is that few of us have marvellous 

 memories; so we luckily forget, and each year must learn again, 



