1868. 



NEW ENGLAiJJ) FARMER. 



247 



after month— in the same dull round of house- 

 keeping within doors. Regardless of the close 

 union existing between mind and bodj', and how 

 each must sufier from the misuse or overuse of the 

 other, they consider themselves well so long as 

 bodily health and strength are not impaired,— 

 though they find that they are getting morose and 

 moody, restless and discontented, and complain 

 of a failing memory and of a want of interest in 

 everything that should concern them deeply. 

 Besides these troubles, it will not be strange, if, 

 in consequence of such infirmities, — for infirmities 

 they are, and of no slight danger, either— they are 

 sorely tried by unfaithful and impertinent ser- 

 vants; while the children become disorderly and 

 unmanageable, and even the husband and father 

 gets unreasonable, and is quick to chide and find 

 fault. * 



"When a woman sees that herself and her family 

 are falling into this deplorable state, she must 

 break away immediately from her self-imposed 

 fetters of seclusion and absorption in household 

 cares and toils ; and seek relief and relaxation for 

 her perplexed and wearied brain in noting the 

 beauty and the order which the Creator has spread 

 around us in such variety. Setting aside, and 

 trying to forget, her own imperfect and unsatisfac- 

 torj; labors, in the contemplation of God's perfect 

 handiwork, her life will become ennobled, and her 

 days be crowned with such peace and harmony as 

 shall cast a bright reflection upon her household, 

 and they, walking in that light, will more readily 

 entertain and cherish holy and beautiful thoughts, 

 and be stimulated to higher and better deeds. 



Do you ask where is the field for this out-door 

 work of woman ? It is here, around her own 

 dwelling, upon her own premises. It is actual 

 manual labor — something which shall give exer- 

 cise to all the muscles and all the thoughts, and 

 that will require regular daily attention — that we 

 want. And this we have in cultivating the soil 

 and caring for its productions ; in one word — gar- 

 dening. Every woman ought to find it, as did 

 Eve in the first garden, "a pleasant task to tend 

 plant, herb and flower;" and even digging, hoe- 

 ing, raking and weeding, neither difficult, nor 

 tedious, — which she will after a little experience, 

 if she use proper implements and wear a suitable 

 dress. 



No matter how barren the ground, or how hum- 

 ble the cottage, she may make it a scene of 

 beauty and grace; providing happiness for all 

 who behold the result of her labors, as well as 

 garnering up for herself rich stores of strength 

 and wisdom. Astonished and delighted by the 

 wonders and glories which she discovers and de- 

 velops, all the members of her family will vie 

 with her in prosecuting the work ; till the loveli- 

 ness of the world around them will be but a 

 counterpart to that beauty of holiness that so fills 

 their hearts, that Gfod himself, as in the Eden of 

 old, will draw near, and talk to them in that celes- 



tial speech of which the lily and the rose are the 

 best interpreters. 



Do not wait till you own the house and land 

 before you begin the work, — you will derive more 

 benefit than the owner from your labors. Nor, if 

 it is homely and old, till its appearance can be im- 

 proved: vines and trees and shrubs can be so 

 tastefully arranged around an ugly building as to 

 lend it comeliness, — perhaps give to the view a 

 more picturesque effect than if it were newer and 

 grander. And don't refuse to spend your time 

 and thoughts on even the smallest spot ; a yard of 

 ground may be the source of health and pleasure 

 to you and your family. 



Suppose you live in the city, where only a nar- 

 row strip — a few inches — of soil borders your 

 dwelling. Even this may hold a vine, which j'ou 

 can train and trim, and which, climbing along 

 the walls and drooping over the windows can cur- 

 tain them with beauty and afford you many a 

 recess from household toil, in watching and as- 

 sisting its growth and the formation and perfection 

 of its fruit. If, besides this, you have a small en- 

 closed piece of ground — a "yard," you call it — 

 where the children play, or rubbish accumulates, 

 you can keep it neat, and dig and break up the 

 soil — which is perhaps nearly as hard as the pave- 

 ment — and plant there pretty shrubs and flowers ; 

 and teach the children to help yon iu ridding it of 

 weeds, and in watering and stirring the soil. But 

 if you are fortunate enough to have the control of 

 a rod or more land you may consider yourself 

 rich in material for health and happiness. This 

 you may dignify by the name of garden. 



The word Garden is derived from the Hebrew, 

 and means an enclosed or protected spot for pleas- 

 ure or delight. Hence places of amusement are 

 sometimes called gardens, although they include 

 no plants and show no traces of cultivation. But 

 this primitive meaning of the word proves how 

 naturally man turns to the simple grandeur and 

 beauty of the vegetable kingdom for that real en- 

 joyment which springs only from, the gratification 

 of his purest tastes. 



Everybody knows there is great diversity of 

 soil, and that soils may be altered to suit the veg- 

 etation desired. Earth is not soil. It is merely 

 mineral matter — the broken and pulverized crust 

 of the globe — only powdered rocks, we may say ; 

 and it needs the decomposed remains of animal 

 and vegetable matter before it can become soil. 

 Their decay imparts to the mineral particles cer- 

 tain substances which are necessary to the support 

 of vegetable life, and sets free certain gases on 

 which the germination of seed depends. Now, as 

 soon as the smallest layer of dust is wrought out 

 of the rock 'by the restlessness of air and water, 

 little particles of vegetation — too minute often to 

 be seen — being wafted to the spot, mingle them- 

 selves with this dust; and insects, seeking food 

 and lodging for themselves and their progenj', bur- 

 row and build among the particles, then die and 



