H.\MPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



home: making 



WILL YOU EXHIBIT AT THE FAIR? 



With the beginning of canning season 

 every forward thinking woman begins to 

 plan for the exhibit she will take to the 

 fair. The whole scientific world proves 

 to us that there is no such thing' as luck. 

 Even in the world of invention men do not 

 wait for inspiration to make discoveries 

 but when there is need for something new 

 they begin at once to "figure" how it can 

 be supplied. The mattei- of prize-taking 

 at our state and county fairs is no matter 

 of luck but of good planning and hard 

 work and determination not to be beaten. 

 Now while the canning is in process is 

 the time for every woman to make up her 

 mind what and where she will exhibit. 

 The exhibit is the trying-out field, the 

 place where every man and woman and 

 increasing numbers of boys and girls 

 have a chance not only to show but to 

 prove what can be done to bring up the 

 whole standard of production. Just as 

 every man is proud of fine vegetables and 

 fruit and splendid specimens of live stock 

 which he has grown and helped to pro- 

 duce, so every woman is proud of those 

 attractive jars of canned products, well 

 shaped loaves of bread, and well made 

 garments, producing which she has spent 

 countless hours. 



Fairs, whether state, county or commu- 

 nity, offer us women the best opportunity 

 for comparing our own ways of living and 

 own possessions with those of other 

 women. And the woman who really gets 

 the full value of the fair is the one who 

 exhibits; for her the inspiration lasts 

 through the year. 



The score card can tell a great deal. 

 At one fair a woman, who failed to take 

 any premium on her bread, asked, 

 "Where is my score card? Never mind 

 the bread, I don't care for that but I 

 want to see how it scored, so I can do 

 better next year." That is the secret of 

 the winner. She profits by each year's 

 experience. 



There is much work connected with the 

 making of an exhibit. Plans are under 

 way for the exhibit of home products 

 at the local and county fairs this year. 

 The Three-county Fair at Northampton 

 is our real county fair. It comes October 

 3, 4 and 5. Will you e.xhibit? 



Is It True? 



It ain't the guns or armament. 



Nor the tunes the band can play, 

 But the close co-operation 



That makes us win the day. 

 It ain't the individual, nor 



The army as a whole. 

 But the everlasting team work 



Of every bloomin' soul. 



— Kipling. 



POINTS OF INTEREST 



Ihree-county Fair Premium List 



The Premium List of the Three-County 

 Fair has been revised. The premiums 

 are more attractive than formerly. Some 

 of the newer attractions are: 



Canned vegetables $.3 00 $2 00 $1 00 



Not less than 6 nor 



more than 12 kinds 

 Canned fruits 3 00 2 00 1 00 



Not less than 6 nor 



more than 12 kinds 

 Jelly 2 00 1 00 50 



6 varieties 



100 



Bread 



White $2 00 $1 50 $1 00 



Entire Wheat 1 00 75 50 



Most every kind is listed. The score 

 card for bread was given in the May 

 "Monthly". 



The usual list of embroidery, crochet, 

 knitting and tatting is given. But a list 

 for "practical garments" has been added. 

 This list should be well received. 



ANTS ABUNDANT THIS YEAR 



Methods of Control 



Ants, both red and black seem unusual- 

 ly abundant this year. The following 

 methods have proved successful for con- 

 trolling and eliminating them. 



1. Kerosene. 



Ordinary ants may be prevented 

 from reaching tables by setting the legs 

 of the tables in cups containing a little 

 water with kerosene oil on the surface. 

 The film of oil is an effective barrier 

 until the oil evaporates when it must be 

 removed. This is most effective for 

 small red and black ants. It avails lit- 

 tle with the ants since they soon 

 manage to cross the oil on a causeway 

 formed from the dead bodies of their 

 sacrificed comrades. 



2. Poisoned Sirup. 



The most efficient control for ants 

 where it can be used with safety is a 

 weakened sirup which the workers will 

 carry to the nest, feed to the young, 

 and gradually kill all the individuals 

 thus exterminating the colony. Dis- 

 solve 1 lb. of sugar in a quart of water 

 and add 125 grains of arsenate of soda. 

 The mixture should be boiled and 

 strained and if convenient a small 

 amount of honey added to make it 

 more attractive to the ants. The mix- 

 ture may be fed most advantageously 

 by sponges soaked in it and where the 

 ants will find easy access to them. 

 Note: This sirup should be handled 

 carefuly and marked "poison". 



Continued from column 2 



Practical House Dress 3 00 2 50 2 00 



Practical Apron 1 00 75 50 



Simple afternoon 



dress 3 00 2 50 2 00 



Collection of practical 



aprons 2 00 1 50 1 00 



Single pieces of under- 

 wear 1 00 75 50 



Collection of 3 under- 

 garments 2 00 1 50 1 00 



Handmade waist 1 50 1 00 50 



Child's Dress 200 1 50 1 00 



Collection of Child's 



underwear 1 50 1 00 50 



Layette — not less than 



than 5 pieces 4 00 3 00 2 00 



Score Card for Practical Garments 



Taste ■ 10 



100 



