ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 75 



doing work, has had anything to do with the planning, or if it has been left 

 entirely to the professional architect. We will count the south windows it 

 contains, those best windows of the house that catch the sunshine of winter 

 and the night breezes of summer, notice the system of heating and ventila- 

 tion, bathing conveniences, and if the house be large we ought to find a 

 laundry with fixed tubs and boilers, hot water and cold at easy command, 

 and a drying room for stormy weather. Health, convenience and beauty 

 should be considered in the construction of a house, and woman ought to 

 have the training that would fit her to be the architect of her own dwelling 

 in all vital and essential points. She should be competent to plan for heat- 

 ing, ventilation, water-pipes, drains and certainly to plan a sitting room so 

 that the piano and couch will not be obliged to stand before doors or win- 

 dows, and a sleeping room in which there is at least sufiicient wall space to 

 set a bedstead. It only requires a little thought to put doors and windows 

 where they ought to be and leave spaces for large articles of furniture ; but 

 a house is seldom free from blunders in this respect. 



We can extend our investigation in the kitchen and pantry, or perhaps sit 

 down to dinner with the family, that we may observe the quality of food and 

 the manner of its preparation. In this department of housekeeping we can 

 very easily judge whether ignorance or intelligence bears sway. The meats, 

 gravies, vegetables, bread, butter, dessert will all show whether the house- 

 keeper has a knowledge of her work and whether she studies the health of 

 her family by giving them proper nourishment. The raiser of stock is com- 

 ing to ask himself the question, " What food do my young colts, calves and 

 pigs require for growth and development ? " Is it not a question which 

 mothers should ask, " What food do my children need to develop their bones, 

 muscles and brain ? " We have but to look at the children of our homes— so 

 many of them pale, poor, soft-boned, with black, crumblmg teeth— to become 

 convinced that there is something to be found in the mode of feeding chil- 

 dren in order that we may have more finely developed men and women. The 

 subject of foods, their selection, purchase, their preparation, the proper com- 

 binations for perfect. nourishment, the actual food value of each article of 

 diet, is one little understood by our housekeepers. They have inherited or 

 acquired a way of doing, and it may or may not be right, for all they know 

 upon the subject. What we want is an intelligent cook, one that can tell 

 when the grocer imposes upon her willow leaves for tea leaves, or old tea 

 dregs from hotels dressed up into an article sold remarkably cheap ; one that 

 can tell chicory and peas from coffee, tonka from vanilla, cornmeal from 

 ginger, turmeric from mustard, and above all one who insists upon the best 

 flour and sugar that can be obtained in these days of vile adulterations. 



It would be a good thing if this committee of inspection would find out 

 how many of the housekeepers are industrious and thoughtful enough to can 

 their own fruit, and in glass jars too, not depending upon the too frequently 

 lead-poisoned product of the canning factories. Somebody ought to invent 

 a cheap, safe and reliable can for these factories to use, that we might be, 

 and feel indeed free from the shocking effects of lead-poisoning often caused 

 from the soldering used in those of tin. 



The subject of dress must not escape our notice. Notwithstanding the 

 constant improvement in this matter, and all that is written and said upon 



