986 
May 22, 1 <fl*Q 
WOMAN AND HOME 
From Day to Day 
The Daisy Field 
I came upon a field once, 
Long, long ago, 
Where all the daisies in the world 
Had come to grow. 
They laughed, and bowed to me that day 
As I went by, 
And mocked the whiteness of the clouds 
That swept the sky. 
Their yellow faces in the sun 
Were bright as gold; 
One could not think they’d ever be 
Faded or old! 
They danced and mocked all things that 
were— 
Things learned and wise— 
And seemed to wish to quiz me, too, 
With their bright eyes! 
They choked the clover in the field, 
That smelled so sweet; 
And when I tried to wade through them 
They caught my feet! 
They are not stars the angels plucked 
In idle hours! 
I know they are enchanted things, 
And pagan flowers! 
—J. d. m’m. in New York Tribune. 
* 
We have had several letters lately 
asking where the inquirers could obtain 
children’s dresses and other garments to 
be made at home. We do not know any 
firm giving out such work now. Thirty 
years ago muslin underwear used to be 
given out as piecework, and some country 
people near New York used to do such 
work, but conditions are now entirely 
changed. Changing labor laws and con¬ 
ditions have brought the work into large 
factories, where electrical power is used. 
Labor in the garment trades is highly 
unionized, and the workers are largely of 
foreign birth. Each operation is special¬ 
ized. and a garment passes through many 
different hands before it is completed, 
instead of one person making the whole 
garment. As a result of labor troubles 
there is a tendency now for garment man¬ 
ufacturers to move to smaller towns, but 
we think the work will still be done in 
the factory, not given out. In one near¬ 
by small town such work was finding its 
labor among colored women, as well as 
Italians and Armenians, but the garment 
trade is quite largely monopolized by 
Jewish workers. A piece-worker at home 
cannot compete with the electric-powered 
factory. 
Our advice is for women seeking such 
home work to try to get in touch with 
private customers. It is harder now than 
ever before to ~et plain sewing done, yet 
almost every community has women un¬ 
able to do their family sewing, who like 
to buy their own materials and have 
them made up. There is no great for¬ 
tune to be made in doing such work, but 
a neat and rapid seamstress will find it 
worth while. There is also a demand 
among fastidious customers for hand¬ 
made blouses and children’s clothes. This 
is dainty work, and select private cus¬ 
tomers pay well for it, but it must be 
well done. At the present time hand¬ 
made blouses of voile and batiste, with 
hemstitching and drawn work, begin at 
about .$5 and go up to all sorts of prices. 
Standard styles in batiste at $7.50 to $10 
are really handsome, and as one looks at 
the drawn threads and dainty stitchery 
one realizes that there is no “easy money” 
in such work. Probably most of the 
hand-made garments come from France: 
French women excel in such work, aud 
the present rate of exchange makes it ex¬ 
ceedingly favorable to purchase French 
work with American dollars. There is 
also much fine sewing and embroidery 
done in the Philippines, for Filipino 
women are exquisite needlewomen, and 
do wonderful embroidery and drawn work. 
In all sorts of home industries for the 
farm woman, we usually find that private 
customers give the first opening and a 
hopeful start. A locality where there are 
Summer boarders or campers offers many 
opportunities, for there are women among 
them with real needs, as well as those 
who buy merely for pleasure. Each 
woman desirous of extra earnings at home 
should study her district aud her own 
capabilities, aud theu concentrate. 
In a Summer boarder district, or one 
with much near-by automobile tourist 
traffic, never forget that beauty is a farm 
asset. Fine trees, a lawn and simple old- 
‘J?k RURAL NEW-YORKER 
fashioned flowers will draw customers for 
home handicrafts, whether it be ice cream, 
quilts, hand-made blouses, knit goods or 
preserves. But let the home worker pre¬ 
pare her goods on a cost-plus basis, and 
standardize the making efficiently. “Rule 
of thumb” work is discounted on the open 
market. There is an immense field for 
such work, and it is a good way for short- 
hour workers to spend their surplus. 
* 
Farm Life in Oklahoma 
Spring is a busy time for us farm 
women here in the Southwest, but we are 
glad to see the going of Winter, glad to 
see the time come when we can get out 
among the setting hens, work in the gar¬ 
den and plant and cultivate the flowers. 
The past Winter has been a very mild 
one here in Eastern Oklahoma. We had 
no severe snows, such as is often the case. 
February was so mild that many farm 
women planted early vegetables the last 
of the month, although garden work is 
seldom begun until the middle of March. 
These early vegetables, onions, lettuce, 
radishes and plants for boiling greens, are 
now ready for the table (April 28). Many 
chicks were hatched out along in Febru¬ 
ary and are growing nicely; these will 
soon be ready for table use. or to sell for 
The Rural Patterns 
In ordering always give number of pattern 
and size desired, sending price with order 
0901. Bodice for 
Misses ami Small 
Women, 10 and 18 
years. 
0958. Tucked Skirt 
for Misses and Small 
Women, 10 aud 18 
years. 
The 10-year size 
bodice will require 
1 Vj yards of mate¬ 
rial 30, 40 or 44 
inches wide. The 
16-year size skirt 
will require 3% 
yards of material 30, 
40 of 44 inches wide. 
9980. Dress with 
Rudies, for Misses 
and Small Women, 
10 and 18 years. 
The 10-year size 
will require 4 Vi 
yards of material 30 
inches wide, 3% 
yards 44, 2% yards 
54. with 1 yards 
30, 1 yard 44. 
yard 54 for the ruf¬ 
fles. Width of skirt 
1% yards. Price 10c. 
9707. Girl’s Dress. 
C to 12 years. The 
medium size will re¬ 
quire 4% yards of 
material 30 Inches 
wide. 8Vi yards 44. 
9974. Kimono 
Blouse, 34 to 42 
bust. The medium 
size will require 2V6 
yards of material 40 
inches wide, 1% 
yards 44. Price 10c. 
broilers, and the extreme high prices be¬ 
ing offered for these early broilers will 
tempt most of us to sell most of the first 
hatch, and wait for later ones for home 
use. At present prices a large fat hen 
brings around $2, and this price has led 
to the too close selling off of many farm 
fioc-ks. Unlike the East, Western prices 
for poultry products have not always been 
good, so that present high prices look so 
good to the fiirin women that there is a 
strong temptation to sell too closely. 
Twenty years ago Eastern Oklahoma 
was not thought to be adapted to cotton 
growing, the climate being too oold: corn, 
wheat, oats and live stock were the prin¬ 
cipal products. A few farmers began 
trying cotton in a small way, and gradu¬ 
ally the acreage has been increased until 
now, owing to the high prices, this county 
is given over almost entirely to the grow¬ 
ing of the fleecy staple, many farmers de¬ 
voting almost their entire farms to cotton. 
This means that the women and children 
must work in the fields about six months 
out of the year. The cotton is planted 
on well-prepared land, the last of April 
aud first half of May ; if the weather is 
warm the seed germinates quickly, so that 
Ihore is a good stand up in 10 days; then 
we lot it stand 10 days longer, so. that a 
root system may be formed, when hoeing 
begins. The first time we go over the 
rows with hoes 8 to 10 in. wide, chop¬ 
ping the plants to a sort of stand, leav¬ 
ing six to eight plants in a bunch. 8 in. 
apart. Very little attention is paid to 
vegetation at this working, the main 
thought being to get the plants thinned so 
that they may grow robust and strong, 
but the next time the crop is gone over 
all grass and weeds are taken out. and 
the cotton thinned to one plant to the 
hill. On smooth land a good hoe hand 
can get over one acre each day, but on 
our average land, which is quite rough, 
one does well to average half this much 
every day. Most of the hoeing is done by 
women and children, the men being kept 
busy with the plows. Some farmers grow 
from 20 to 30 acres, and I know one 
farmer who will plant 40 acres to cotton 
this season. This man has only a wife 
and three children to do the hoeing, ex¬ 
cept when the ground is too wet for the 
plow, when all will help. Such conditions 
mean that all other lines of work must 
be neglected in order that the hands keep 
ahead of the weeds and grass. The crop 
is hoed two to four times, according to 
the season and condition of land, and six 
to 10 plowings are necessary to keep the 
weeds down, and the surface soil in good 
condition for best growth of plants. 
The crop is laid by the latter part of 
July. The first bolls usually open up iu 
August, and picking begins in September. 
Cotton loses weight rapidly after open¬ 
ing. and since all cotton in this section is 
sold in the seed, it is advisable that the 
patch bo gone over frequently, and the 
crop put on market as soon after bolls 
are opened as possible. The women and 
children help with the picking, too. which 
means that they are kept in the field at 
intervals until near Christmas, and often 
the gathering is not finished until later. 
For this reason our country schools are 
not what they should be. and farm ehil- 
dred can never do satisfactory work in 
the schoolroom as long as cotton growing 
predominates, for when the crop is ma¬ 
tured one cannot afford to lose it, aud if 
help is hired it is usually women and 
children. A good crop of cotto.n on our 
gravelly upland, at present prices, aver¬ 
ages from $80 to $100 per acre, some¬ 
times a little more, and so long_ as the 
high price remains cotton growing will 
take the lead. 
Our section was visited with a severe 
blizzard on Easter Sunday, such as tin* 
oldest residents never saw before at this 
late date. Snow began falling on Satur¬ 
day night and continued all day Sunday, 
and on Monday morning the ground was 
frozen to a depth of 2 in., and a cold wind 
prevailed all day. Peaches were in full 
bloom and were killed. Plums had al¬ 
ready dropped their blossoms, and the 
young fruits were killed. Cherries and 
apples seem to have come through the 
blizzard with little injury. Strawberries, 
blackberries, etc., were damaged, but not 
entirely cut off. but the loss of the fruit 
will not be felt so keenly, since the price 
of sugar puts the extensive use of the 
very acid fruits out of the question.' Yet 
fresh fruits and berries may be made into ! 
many delicious desserts with very little 
sugar, and may be eaten raw without 
sugar and form a healthful, appetizing 
food for all. Garden truck was somewhat 
set back by the freeze, but not much stuff 
was entirely killed ; however, the low tem¬ 
perature following the freeze has remained 
with us ever since, so that, notwithstand¬ 
ing the indication of an early Spring, the 
real approach of warmer weather is still 
delayed. Gardens, flowers and young 
chickens cannot develop as they should 
were warm, sunny days present. 
Wheat and oats are looking well, and 
early corn is planted, hut is not showing 
above ground yet. Feedstuff is scarce and 
high, and since there is very little feed on 
the farms, most farm women say they 
plan to raise very few chickens this year. 
At present prices the poultry is one of the 
most profitable side lines on the farm and 
should not be neglected. A very few 
sacks of feed, or bushels of wheat, along 
with the table scraps, surplus milk aud 
other waste about the house and garden, 
will carry a couple of hundred chicks 
along until early feed crops are ready for 
use, aud since the wife usually has the 
poultry money for her own use. she 
should not neglect this opportunity of 
adding to her income; If the- farm wife 
is strong, and there are no children to 
look after, it sometimes happens that she 
may earn more money, easier, by devot¬ 
ing her time to outdoor work, among tin* 
live stock, growing a few acres of cotton, 
or other field crops, pigs, calves, etc., lmt 
the mother of little ones must of necessity 
engage in work which is near the house, | 
and of course one naturally turns to poul¬ 
try first. Not only chickens, but turkeys, 
ducks and geese, under proper conditions, 
are grown by many women at a good 
profit. One friend tells me growing geese 
for market is very profitable for her; an¬ 
other gets many dollars from her tur¬ 
keys each season. I have had excellent 
success with ducks. Chickens, however, 
give a profit every month in the year, 
which adds to their favor. 
LILY REED YORK. 
To Freshen Stai.e Cake.—P lace it in 
a covered pail, enclosing with it a cup of 
boiling water. Leave the cover on the 
pail for several hours. This will restore 
layer cake as well as plaiD cake, to tempt¬ 
ing freshness. G. A. T. 
m 
CW-Rai 
SOU) 
tiel 
Chi-Namel 
golds Aluminum 
5 Brightens and rust-proofs 
radiators, fixtures, pipes, tanks 
and stove parts. Beautifies furniture, 
picture frames, wicker, bric-a-brac, 
etc. Easily applied, it dries quickly, 
is heat proof, and has no offensive 
odor. Each can tells how to use it. 
Vitit Yonr Nearest Chi - Hamel Store 
5 There is a representative merchant 
near you who conducts a Chi-Namel 
Department. He will demonstrate a 
Chi-Namel Varnish, Enamel and 
Graining System for any surface 
that you may want to beautify and 
preserve. If you fail to find your 
Chi-Namel Dealer, write us direct 
for his address. 
The Ohio Varnish Co., Cleveland, Ohio 
Why not save money? 
COFFEE 
3 1 lbs. of Best 
4 Combination 
(Ground Only) 
PARCEL POST FREE WITHIN 300 MILES 
r o combat the high cost of 
coffee we have combined the 
finest coffee grown ivith health¬ 
giving roasted cereals and the 
highest grade chicory. 
The flavor is delicious ! 
MONEY BACK IF NOT SATISFIED 
VAN DYK 
SI BARCLAY ST., NEW YORK CITY 
Branch Stores Everywhere. 
“TURKISH TOWELS” 
Mill Seconds that are Big Value 
We will send you POSTPAID FOR FOLR 
DOLLARS Our Special Bundle of Assorted 
Towels—Retail Value Five Dollars. 
Full Value Guaranteed 
Money Jiack If Dissatisfied 
Sterling Textile Mills Flagg St., Clinton, Mass. 
l Homework on Booties. Barques. 
€ rnrhprprs* Highest prices. Steady wont. 
V^-I UL1ICIU O . |, rolll p t payment. Sample and 
wool furnished. SAMUEL FISCH, 178 C«ntr«l A»e., Brooklyn. *• *• 
AGENTSWANTED 
Active, reliable, on salary, to 
take subscriptions for Ruhai. 
New-Yorker In Schuyler ami 
Chemung Counties, N. Y. 
Prefer men who have horse or auto. 
Address; — 
JOHN G. COOPER. 2405 AV. State St.. 
OLEAN. N. Y. 
or 
The Rural New-Yorker 
333 W. 30th Street, New York City 
