THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
(Continued from page 52.) 
a woman’s opinion. 
Farmers labor under peculiar difficulties in 
employing help. In the first place, no stand¬ 
ard of skill, experience or character is requir¬ 
ed, the reverse of the custom in employing 
operatives in any other business. This neces¬ 
sitates untiring patience and constant vigi¬ 
lance on the part of the employer. Even 
then there are often waste and ruin of 
materials, implements and time, through 
ignorance, aud indifference; but the wages 
still go on. In the next place, the best inter¬ 
ests of our business and our families seem to 
conflict in employing ignorant—(not necessa¬ 
rily as regards general intelligence but in re¬ 
spect to labor,) and often uncouth and un¬ 
principled strangers. Farmers just beginning 
in life, and those of moderate means, not hav¬ 
ing tenant houses, are obliged to take these 
men and boys into their families, in a meas¬ 
ure. The degree of familiarity, or privileges 
granted them is a problem that vitally con¬ 
cerns us and our children, affecting us 
physically, financially, and intellectu¬ 
ally. If the same help remained year after 
year, we might hope to benefit them in all 
these respects; but they do not, and the ma¬ 
jority have no appreciation of such benefits, 
or ambition in these directions. The natural 
consequence to ourselves is that our own 
efforts and aspirations are relaxed, and our 
children are in a way constantly to imbibe 
ideas and manners that are pernicious. Of 
less importance possibly, but more trying to 
our nerves and tempers, are the noises, annoy¬ 
ances and indignities we suffer daily from 
these men, (often unclean foreigners,) if they 
eat at our table. Even if it were possible to 
make them comprehend the usefulness, the 
healthfulness, the luxury of cleanliness of 
body and garments and boots, the nature of 
their work would often render their presence 
obnoxious to people of refined sensibilities. I 
realize that this is unavoidable, but is it un¬ 
avoidable that we should lower our standard? 
What are we really living for? Then the 
food and appointments of a table for such 
laborers are entirely different from those 
relished and needed by members of the fam¬ 
ily. More than this, the farmer ought to 
have the delightful privilege of seclusion with 
his own, around the frugal board, three short 
half-hours a day, that each may speak freely 
of all in his heart, direct conversation into a 
higher plane, aud not fear having his private 
affairs circulated as stupid ears or an evil 
tongue might construe them. 
On the other Hand, we must consider the 
well-being and the feelings of our help. Their 
labor is exhausting; they need abundant and 
nourishing food, served with regularity, end 
promptness; they should not be required to 
eat after the family; if anything, their meals 
should be earlier in the day; but circumstances 
vary greatly. Some keep but one man, their 
accommodations are limited, there’s no maid 
to help, and time and labor must be rigidly 
economized, so all must eat together. Even 
then too great familiarity with help at the 
noon aud evening hours should be avoided. 
Granting them unusual favors makes them 
exacting and presuming. It is difficult to 
guard the children from this without exciting 
the suspicion and animosity of the help. A 
wise and righteous course is to insist as one of 
the rights and privileges of our help, that 
they be left to the enjoyment of seclusion with 
themselves and their friends who come to see 
them. We should be conscientiously kind 
and honest with them, aud give them true 
ideas of the duties, responsibilities aud real 
pleasures of life. W e should teach them how 
to work and make them feel the satisfaction 
aud pride afforded by doing work skillfully 
aud honestly, aud that it usually results 
in a saving of time, strength and mat¬ 
erial, thus teaching them to think aud 
reason out cause aud effect. This is 
more feasible with indoor help, providing 
they have any natural intelligence, but we 
must not be surprised if we see no immediate 
results. Usually the only compensation to us 
is the consciousness of having done a little 
home missionary work on our own territory 
MRS. i. D. c. 
FROM WASHINGTON TERRITORY'. 
We get our help mostly from the Western 
Atlantic States. Swedes and Americans pre¬ 
dominate, but there are rather more Swedes 
on the farm, as Americans aud Irish take 
more to the logging camp, as they can get 
better wages in the woods, aud, as a general 
thing, Americans from the West are good axe¬ 
men. The Swedes are very saving and take 
good care of their money. I should say two- 
thirds of them are farming for themselves in 
three or four years. The Americans are 
more inclined after they have earned a few 
hundred dollars, to start a logging camp, or a 
country store in a new settlement. 
The farmers usually get hands by sending 
to the employment bureaus in our largest 
cities, such as Seattle or Tacoma, at the 
termini of railroad and steam-boat travel. 
The wages for a good farm hand are $300 per 
year, with board and washing. No contracts 
are signed. We agree to pay $30 per month 
for summer, and $20 for winter work—six 
months of each. The agreements can be 
broken at the pleasure of either party on a 
week’s notice. 
In the morning, chores are done, breakfast 
eaten,teams harnessed ready for work,by seven 
o’clock. At six in the evening we quit work; 
the teams are then taken care of, and chores 
are done for the night. On Sundays the men 
must do the chores morning and night. The 
hired man is mostly treated as one of the 
family. We don’t forget that we were hired 
men ourselves once. 
We hire good men every time, even at an 
advance of $5.00 per month; for a poor, 
blundering, careless man will lose every year 
more than would pay for a good man, 
through mistakes and carelessness in leaving 
gates open and fences down, and also tools 
out in the rain and sun to rust and warp. 
Moreover, the employer must be' with a poor 
man all the time, to see that he does his work 
properly, or something issuie to go wroDg. 
Our cities are not crowded as are those in the 
East, so that the boys all find work at home 
if they are willing to work at all. I find that 
farmers in this part of the country, if they 
get a good man, try to use him so kindly that 
he will stay as long as he cares to hire out. 
I know plenty of farmers who have had the 
same men for four and five years. They are 
treated as members of the family, and don’t 
care to change about. h. a. march. 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
Side-walks and Shade Trees.—I was 
asked the other day why the shade trees in 
certain streets and fashionable avenues seemed 
to languish in growth and present a sickly, 
stunted appearance. I pointed to the hard, 
smooth asphalt pavement which covered the 
roadway from curb to curb, and asked my 
friend how he supposed any water or moisture 
could get through tnat air-tight surface. He 
had never thought of that, and the suggestion 
only recently came to me. It cannot be pos¬ 
sible that trees so placed can receive the 
moisture and nourishment requsite for thrift 
and vigor, and it is really surprising that they 
live at all for any length of time, especially 
where the sidewalk is also covered with the 
impervious asphalt, as it often is. The roots 
must go down very deep. Of course, the soil 
in such places is very retentive of moisture, 
not being subject to the evaporation common 
to unsealed surfaces. But in prolonged 
droughts lack of water is inevitable. Might 
not some practical plan be devised to obviate 
tnis difficulty in part? A capacious cavity 
about the tree to receive surplus water, 
gratings at intervals near the euro, or a line 
of gratings there would answer the purpose. 
We can’t well do without the trees. We 
want them to feel comfortable and look vig¬ 
orous, and yet we don’t want to give up this 
excellent aud beautiful form of pavement 
where it will staud. It is so smooth, clean 
aud elastic, such a saver of friction, noise, 
horse-flesh, wear and tear of vehicles, time 
and temper—almost everything is in its favor. 
How many have thought about the welfare 
of our street trees ? h. h. 
It was my intention to have sent the 
Rural specimens of some of my seedling 
g rapes this season, but they were cut off; by a 
very severe hail-storm in May, which caused 
a delay of about two weeks, until a new 
growth from the latent or secondary buds 
took place, with but few small clusters of 
fruit. My vines have made a very strong, 
vigorous growth of well-ripened wood, giving 
promise of a good crop next season, and I 
hope to bo able to send the Rural a number 
of varieties, some of which prove superior to 
any others grown here or known to me. I am 
much pleased with the Minnehaha grape 
after four years’ fruiting. It is a very strong, 
vigorous and healthy vine, very prolific of 
delicious fruit. It showed a little mildew 
this season, but not enough to prevent the 
fruit from ripening up well, it having escaped 
being cut off by the hail. I have seen no 
notice of it except in the Rural some two 
years since. The vine is three-quarters 
Vinifera and appears to be as hardy as any of 
the hybrids. I am in hopes of being able to 
say something favorable of a four-year-old 
vine, a seedling from a Flame Tokay grape, 
the seed being from fruit grown in California. 
Four branches have grown from it this sea¬ 
son, one 12, one 15, and two 18 feet each. 
They are mostly well-ripened wood as thick 
as my finger, and very short-jointed. I think 
it wonderful. JOHN BURR. 
Why I am a Farmer.—As the Rural de¬ 
sires its subscribers to tell why they are 
farmers, I may as well tell my reasons now. 
There seems to have been a love for farming 
born with me. I was not reared on a farm, 
but always desired to possess one, not for the 
money to be made upon it, for in the matter 
of dollars and cents farming can not be called 
a success; but I wanted to be a farmer to 
obtain independence, health, time for mental 
culture and enjoyment of nature in all 
her changes, and for these purposes a life 
upon the farm cannot be excelled. There are 
many unpleasant things connected with farm¬ 
ing, but it seems to me to be man’s most 
natural occupation. Having an intense love 
for fruits and flowers, I can indulge in them 
to my heart’s content. The time and money 
required for a beautiful lawn and garden are 
trifling, compared with what is wasted loafing 
at the store. Farming is my ideal life, there¬ 
fore, I am a farmer. E. Y. lyon. 
Essex Co., N. Y. 
When I first saw the Rural New-Yorker 
jn ’85, I thought It was devoted to agriculture 
for a.more southern latitude than this; but I 
find that there are good articles in it for farm¬ 
ers as far north as Maine, besides a large 
amount of practical and instructive teaching 
on farm matters with which climate has little 
to do. I like the way the paper is taking up 
the nomination for Commissioner of Agricul¬ 
ture. If all the agricultural papers would 
work up the subject and get at the wishes of 
the farmers, possibly a man might be nomi¬ 
nated who would use his office to secure the 
greatest good to the greatest number of farm¬ 
ers. It certainly seems as though there was 
room for some improvement on what we have 
had in times past. If President Harrison 
does not give us a good man, why, let us work 
all the harder next time. F. wm. H. 
Warren, Maine. 
I have been a subscriber for the Rural for 
a number of years, and I must say that the 
longer I know it the better I like it. There 
has been no number during the past year 
which did not contain information that saved 
me more than two dollars. I could not esti¬ 
mate in dollars, what the Eye-Opener has 
saved me in being no longer pestered by 
sharks and sharpers. My front gate seems to 
be marked with some private mark known to 
sharpers, which must mean, “ Beware of the 
Eye-Opener.” daniel foley. 
St. Clair Co., Mich. 
I visited the farm of a prominent mar¬ 
ket gardener near here recently, and had oc¬ 
casion to notice the manner in which his stock 
of 15,000 cabbages were buried for protection 
during winter, while easily accessible. They 
had been placed roots upward, in twos, in 
parallel rows in the field where they had 
grown. A furrow of earth was turned with a 
plow on either side of them, completely cover¬ 
ing the heads. The owner assured me that 
they kept splendidly and that none but the 
outside leaves were injured by freezing and 
thawing. This plan certainly saves much 
labor, and it is not necessary to uncover the 
whole supply to obtain a few heads. w. T. 
Dover, Del. 
Sixteenth St., New York. The society holds 
monthly meetings, and also gives kindly 
talks from time to time. Branches are being 
formed in different places, like the King’s 
Daughters’ Tens. Even without formally 
joining a club, can’t we all be members of 
this society? It does seem the hardest thing 
in the world to bridle the tongue, the last 
lesson so many of us are able to learn. Any 
one of us, in looking back over the worries 
and disagreements of a single year, will find 
that half of them, at least, would have been 
soothed and softened by a kindly tongue. 
* * * * 
While speaking of this society, a quotation 
from the “Home-Maker” is very appropriate. 
“Do not say a rough word when a smooth 
one will serve your purpose as well. Before 
indulging in retort, or sly thrust, or “crusher” 
—whatever the provocation—ask yourself, 
‘Would I wish this unsaid if I were never to 
behold his living face again?’ “ Common 
sense ought to have proved to 'us by this 
time that oil is a better lubricant of house¬ 
hold machinery than vinegar or caustic.” 
* * * 
A pretty picture frame for a marine view 
is described in the Home-Maker. It consists 
of a plain pine frame, roughened by sticking 
an awl in a little way, and then turning it. 
This is done all over. Around the inner edge 
of the frame is a mat made of braided twine, 
the braid being three-quarters of an inch wide. 
Over the two upper corners a piece of fine 
twine netting is placed, making a three 
cornered cover on each. On each lower cor¬ 
ner a small starfish is glued. When these 
decorations are secured the whole thing should 
receive two coats of silver paint. 
* * * 
The same paper describes a charming door 
decoration. It was an unused door, and an 
ugly one to boot. First a small shelf was put 
over it. On this were a few pieces of china. 
The door itself was covered with plain ma¬ 
roon velveteen stretched from top to bottom 
without any fullness. Over the velveteen, 
across the top and down the sides, were a pair 
of thin Syrian curtains, gracefully draped. 
Half way down was fastened a small bracket; 
above this were tacked some engravings 
without frames, the velveteen making an ex¬ 
cellent back-ground. At the base was a large 
jar filled with bulrushes, cat-tails, and long 
grasses. This makes a charming bit of deco¬ 
ration. 
Huffman’s VUorK. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY LOUI8E TAPLIN. 
CHAT BY THE WAY. 
HOME DUTY. 
J. H. G. 
\HE “Kindly Club” is an organization de¬ 
voted to the virtues expressed by its 
name. It originated in the busy brain of 
Mrs. Janet Runtz-Rees, a literary woman of 
English birth. To quote from a leaflet sent 
out by Mrs. Runtz-Rees, the object of the 
club is the cultivation of kindly thoughts by 
kindly words and by the suppression of “evil 
speaking, lying, and slandering.” 
To be a member it is only necessary to sign 
the form of membership, and to strive to cul¬ 
tivate kindliness of thought aud word, to 
resolve never to repeat derogatory or ill- 
natured remarks of another, never to belittle 
any one, never to speak unkindly gossip or 
scandal. 
* * * 
The badge of this society is an inexpensive 
pin with the design of a bridle bearing as 
motto “ The Law of Kindliness,” or a violet 
button. The price of the pin is 50 cents, aud 
of the button 10 cents. Badges and circulars 
may be obtained from the Secretary, 19 East 
I N these days, when so much of our popula¬ 
tion is concentrated in cities and large 
towns; when our^habits of living are almost 
communistic in character; when individual and 
isolated home-life is almost unknown, our 
public duties demand a large and ever-in¬ 
creasing share of our time and attention. It 
is at times exceedingly difficult to determine 
where our private duties end and our public 
duties begin, and we are too apt to let personal 
ease or pleasure determine our action. With 
very many people, public duty has a fascina¬ 
tion which seems almost irresistible. 
With men it is usually politics, clubs, or 
secret societies which furnish the excuse for 
the Degleet of the home; with women it is 
usually sewing societies, church sociables, 
Chautauqua meetings and the like, which 
cause the neglect of home duties. It is a very 
common thing to see children roaming the 
streets in rags and dirt, while the mother is at 
a meeting of the sewing society and the 
father at the village store talking politics. 
A recent number of the Christian Union con¬ 
tains a story wffiich illustrates our duty in a 
very entertaining way. It is in the form of 
an imaginary discussion at a church meeting. 
The Parson, as usual, would measure the 
piety of his parishioners by their regular at¬ 
tendance at the various church meetings; the 
Deacou differs from him. 
“But I can’t agree with you, Deacou,” 
said the Parson, “in your saying that the 
home is more sacred than the church. God 
founded the church in the wilderness.” 
“And God founded the family in the gar¬ 
den,” said the Deacon. 
“Christ died for the church on the cross,” 
said the Parson. 
“And Christ was born into the family in the 
manger,” said the Deacon. 
“God will at last present the church a per¬ 
fect church, without spot or wrinkle, or any 
such thing,” said the Parson. 
“When we all come home,” said the Deacou, 
“to join the great family of redeemed in the 
household of faith around our Father which 
is in heaven.” 
“But, Deacon,” said Mrs. Geer, the Parson’s 
wife, “suppose everybody stayed at home and 
took care of her own children, what would 
become of the church?” 
