Home Education division of the 
Bureau, to which come hundreds of 
letters expressing appreciation and 
gratitude that at last parents may 
have advice and help in home making 
and child nurture. 
The Congress owes much to the 
leaders in child nurture. Dr, G, Stan- 
ley Hall, Dr. M. V. O’Shea, Miss 
Elizabeth Harrison, Dr. Helen C, 
Putman, Hon, Ben. B. Lindsey, who 
have generously given of their best 
to aid the Congress in the work. 
Co-operation with other Nationai 
welfare organizations has been an 
important advance, which has marked 
the last’‘year. Child-welfare is a uni- 
versal interest, Physicians who wish 
better health conditions find the Con- 
gress the natural medium for reach- 
ing the most homes. 
Patriotic organizations find a wide 
field of service in promoting patriot- 
ism through use of the organized par- 
enthood of the nation. Educators 
have found that through this medium 
it has been possible to promote great- 
er interest and support for the im- 
portant work they have in hand. 
The point of view of fathers and 
mothers who study child conditions 
is often different from that of those 
who have had less experience with 
children. 
“The love of childhood is the com- 
mon tie which unites us in holiest 
purpose,” was the word of one of the 
honored founders of the Congress. 
It is only by love and sympathy that 
one can judge the needs of children, 
and the motives which are at the basis 
of their actions, ‘The Congress em- 
phasizes the value of love and sym- 
pathy but also emphasizes the neces- 
sity for wisdom in race development 
and tendencies which should be com- 
bined with love to ensure the best for 
children. 
Fathers and mothers who through 
years of thoughtful work have reared 
a family will all testify that their ex- 
perience has modified many of the 
cpinions of earlier years. 
The foundation of the home is laid 
in marriage held sacred and perma- 
nent. The Congress believes that in 
the education of boys and girls as to 
the responsibilities and duties of 
marriage many divorcees will be pre- 
vented. 
Through its Department on Mar- 
riage Sanctity it has urged upon theo- 
logical schools the need for more 
specific, definite instruction concern- 
ing marriage to be given in every 
church. 
The Congress has lent its influence 
and aid to promote uniform marriage 
and divorce laws, in protection of 
children and homes. 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
To enumerate all that has been 
visibly accomplished would fill a vol- 
ume, Only He who reads all hearts, 
who knows the children whose lives 
have been guided into paths of use 
and service, who were standing at the 
parting of the ways needing love and 
help, only He can record the greater 
but invisible service this National 
Congress of Mothers has given. 
From Atlantic to Pacific, from 
Maine to Florida, on February 17, 
the eighteenth anniversary of the 
organization of the Congress, men, 
women and children who are allied 
with this great work will do well to 
look back over the years that have 
passed, with gratitude in their hearts 
that such progress in child welfare 
has been made. 
Yet every day many little ones 
come into homes that for the first 
time rejoice that a child is born, and 
for every one of those homes the Con- 
gress would give the message of the 
God-given possibilities that are en- 
folded in that little life waiting the 
fostering care of wise nurture and 
guidance to reach its greatest possi- 
bilities. Still there are many little 
ones deprived of home care craving 
home and mothering, If a mother is 
God’s greatest gift to children of 
earth, what a power for good must 
come from the unted effort of every 
mother! Add to that the faithful co- 
operation of every father, every 
teacher, all who have caught the 
meaning of the Divine message “In- 
asmuch as ye have done it unto one 
of the least of these ye have done it 
unto me,” and the greatest organized 
force for the uplift of humanity has 
been brought into existence. . 
Those who would make their lives 
count most for the world’s work have 
seen in the work for the children a 
vision of what this world may be 
when every little innocent child may - 
have a care that will nurture in- 
stead of crush the Divine image in 
which each one is created. . 
The Congress is open to all who see 
the limitless opportunities for service 
to the children. 
There is no place where its work is 
not needed. ‘There is no one who 
has not the power to help. aS Be 
Multiplying many times the mem- 
bership and influence, may the years 
that lie ahead bring ever increasing 
opportunities for service. . 
Mrs. FREDERIC SCHOFF, 
President. 
HORTICULTURE 
And Kindred Interests 
(Department managed by a North Shore Gardener) 
PRUNING FoREST AND ORNAMENTAL 
TREES. 
Generally speaking, trees planted 
for shade and ornament need little 
pruning unless artificial shapes are 
desired. However, crossed and other, 
interfering branches should be re- 
moved that the trees may not injure 
themselves. A more symmetrical 
tree will result if the tree is watched 
to see that no side branch takes the 
lead. Norway maples, for instance, 
are apt to develop two or three lead- 
ers, resulting in a low, broad, lop- 
sided tree. ‘This can be prevented by 
suppressing all but the central leader 
or by suppressing the strong growing 
branch that is causing the lop-sided- 
ness. 
By suppressing ig meant stopping 
back, cutting back, removing a part 
of that strong branch to reduce it to 
nearly the size of the other side 
branches and to continue the treat- 
ment in following years. When stop- 
ping back trees and shrubs, cut back 
to a side branch, twig or bud, leaving 
something to grow on the end instead 
of leaving the end to become a dead 
stub, By a little thought and the prac- 
tise of cutting back to a twig or 
branch, shrubs or trees may be made | 
lower or limbs may be shortened; in 
fact, the shape may be changed great- 
ly without making the tree or shrub 
appear mutilated or unnatural. 
Starting with a young maple or 
other ornamental or shade tree one 
might think that it required no arti- 
ficial treatment such as is given an 
orchard where a crop of fruit is ex- 
pected, Of the maple only leaves 
are expected, but to anyone interested 
to observe, it will be apparent that a 
little done when a tree is younger can 
prevent a lot of the evils seen in old 
trees, 
Examination of neglected trees will 
show limbs stabbing into some other 
limb on the trunk, limbs rubbing each 
other, crotches splitting down, lop- 
sidedness, etc., all of which could be 
prevented by a little attention from 
time to time as the tree was growing 
up. Dead limbs are best removed 
at once from deciduous trees, that the 
decay may not have a chance to ex- 
tend into the trunk. Many persons 
feel that removing dead limbs from 
pines destroys their picturesque 
beauty and it can be contended that 
