Jan uary, 1920 
5 
Slower (Brower 
ated, that the student is thereafter excused from manual 
labor. He is too well educated to work, in other words. 
The atmosphere of our higher educational institutions is 
especially saturated with this idea. 
Beginning with the young, the principles which underlie 
human life should be taught. Labor is the first duty of 
man. The production of useful things is the chief 
element of good citizenship. The development of the in- 
dividual through labor and useful activities of all kinds and 
through the study of useful subjects is the chief aim in life. 
This subject could be pursued further, but we state these 
thoughts in outline for the purpose of indicating to the 
thoughtful reader that education which does not teach 
work as a fundamental is no education at all. 
Madison Cooper. 
A Most Important Educational Movement. 
The United States’ School Garden Army, Bureau of 
Education, Department of Interior, is doing a most valuable 
work. In it more than 2,500,000 children in the United 
States and its dependencies are now enrolled. Not only has 
this organization helped to keep down the cost of living 
in many homes, through food products successfully grown, 
but what is equally important is the fact that the children 
have been taught a helpful nature lesson which they never 
will forget. 
We believe that education of this kind to develop chil- 
dren of school age is one of the most valuable lessons that 
can be given, and though we do not despise an education 
which is secured from books, yet we believe that an educa- 
tion of the hand and the eye is equally important, if indeed 
it is not more important, than the education of the brain. 
In fact, there is no doubt but what in educating the eye and 
the hand the brain is equally benefited. 
There is really nothing so important to the young as to 
teach them the necessity of useful work of all kinds, and, 
therefore, the organization above referred to is indeed a 
most valuable one, and we commend its work to all who 
are interested in the education of the young. 
Madison Cooper. 
To Iris Lovers. 
We personally urge that all those who are interested in 
growing the Iris, either commercially or as a hobby, should 
become members of the American Iris Society to be organ- 
ized on January 29th as announced on page four. Be 
present personally if you can to help the good work along. 
If you cannot be present, send your name and state your 
desire to become a charter member. 
Madison Cooper. 
A number of correspondents have reported that the 
strong growing variety, Evelyn Kirtland, has given them 
branched flower spikes. F. P. Clark, of Garrettsville, Ohio, 
sends us photograph illustrating the same, but the photo- 
graph is not suitable for reproduction. The editor has also 
had the same experience with Evelyn Kirtland, and this 
seems to be a characteristic not at all uncommon. Mr. 
Clark also reports double bloom on Kirtland. 
The Glad Philosopher’s 
Musings. 
Of highest earthly bliss I dream — 
I’d have a shack beside a stream, 
’Midst grassy plot, ’mongst stately trees, 
Where oft I’d hie, and take my ease. 
I have often wondered why so few 
city people seem to realize the satis- 
faction derivable from having a 
country place, be it ever so small. In 
fact, the smaller and less pretentious it 
is, the more happiness it is likely to pro- 
duce, for have you never noticed that 
the happiness of the occupant is often 
measured inversely by the size of his 
habitation ? 
To the tired business man or mental 
worker, nothing can furnish such com- 
plete relaxation as a place in the 
country to go to at the close of his 
day’s work, or where he may spend his 
week-ends ; especially if there be a 
garden plot included, to plan for and 
to work in. 
Of course, the equipment of a 
country home or woodland lodge would 
not be complete without an open fire- 
place. How delightfully attractive is 
the wood fire; what music in the 
crackling of the burning log ; what 
pictures conjure up and dreamingly 
flit before our drowsy eyes as we sit 
gazing at the glowing embers. Henry 
H. Saylor has written a practical little 
book entitled “ Making a Fireplace,” 
which all who contemplate building 
fireplaces would do well to read, since 
it gives reliable instructions for their 
proper construction. In his preface, 
Mr. Saylor says : “ There is some in- 
explicable quality in a wood fire that 
exerts almost a hypnotic influence up- 
on those who gather eagerly about it. 
The smouldering glow of the logs in- 
duces a calm and introspective mood 
that banishes all the trivialities and 
distractions of the day’s work and gives 
one an opportunity to replenish his 
store of energy for the coming day.” 
Rudely clad in skins, primitive man, 
when cold, warmed himself before huge 
fires in the open, which met the simple 
demand of his barbaric nature. The 
fire in the Indian’s wigwam was a step 
higher in the ascendancy of civiliza- 
tion ; then came the more substantial 
stone hut or log cabin with open fire- 
place, which satisfied our sturdy fore- 
bears, who doubtless believed that 
perfection had then been reached, en- 
tertaining no ideas of the possibility 
of further improvement. But evolu- 
tion cannot be stayed nor progress 
hindered, and so later came the en- 
closed iron stove, followed by our 
modern systems of house heating with 
steam, hot water and electricity ; and 
while these successively mark progress 
in efficiency and luxury, yet there is 
a charm in the open wood fire that is 
lacking in all other methods. 
Doubtless one reason for the charm 
of the wood fire is its lack of monotony. 
Sometimes impetuous, at other times 
inclined to sulk, our wood fire easily 
reaches extremes, and demands some 
skill and frequent attention to keep it 
within satisfactory bounds. The di- 
versity of results from using various 
kinds of firewood is interestingly com- 
mented upon by Mr. Saylor, as he 
writes : 
“ For the wood fire connoisseur, if we may 
call him by that name, there is no difficulty 
whatever in telling with a glance what wood 
is burned. The crackle and explosive na- 
ture of hickory, the hiss of pine, the steady 
flame from cherry, the hot and rapid disin- 
tegration of sycamore and the steady and 
thorough combustion of soft apple wood soon 
become familiar characteristics to those who 
have the opportunity to lay the fire in va- 
riety. Then there is, of course, the fascina- 
tion and the wierd coloring in a driftwood 
fire — most spectacular of all but unfortu- 
nately denied to most of us.” 
Mr. Madison Cooper, editor of The 
Flower Grower, once expressed to 
the writer his belief that the light and 
heat from a glowing wood fire exerts 
the same health-giving effect upon our 
bodies as direct sunlight. It seems 
quite logical to believe that those 
dynamic forces which caused the tree 
to grow were absorbed and lie dor- 
mant in the wood, awaiting some pro- 
cess of releasure, of which there is none 
so quick and thoroughly complete as 
combustion. 
The Glad Philosopher. 
