The Brussels Post, 1924-9-24, Page 73�.
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rponey you spent, but to discover what
The Business p ofHousekeeping you got for what you spent, Keep
leY CLARA INGRAM JUDSON.
Often we speak of home melting as, budget always seem to have a reserve
eomothing of a' job, but we seldom for just such emergencies.
use the word in the sense that home Suppose YOU were going to build a
`house this summer. You being o os-
anomie im f g pP
making is a position of A ed to planning bud e
parlance --a real business, P g- g ting --would
Yet home making is actually the call a contractor and say, "I'm going
biggest i g s business in the world mid it to build a house and I want you to
is for homes that all other economic make the living room big enough to,
enterprises are conducted. To be sure' be roOnY and comfortable. Make the,
the home is not a business run to' fireplace large enough for those flue!
Make wormy, It is run to make happy logs in the back waodlet and be sure
and efficient people,
to have the pantry windew face south'
To a large extent the housewife is to catch the sunshine.”
the manager of the home business, He would look a little dazed at such
You know we live in a day of special- rambling instructions and he'd reply,'
ization and we attain great skill by "But where are your blue prints? 1
assigning to each person a definite job You, being opposed to plans, would
and then demanding of filar hisvera answer, "Oh, we're net having any,
work. plans for this house. You just begin
Flo it has come about that man have and from time to time as I think of
the principal responsibility for pro- things, Pll tell you and you can put
viding the income and women the task them in,
of administrating the home. The two You couldn't let a contract like
jobs,divided in that way, make a fine that!
orkin partnership, We don't do that planless way even
g P , Y unimportant'
in such . a relativel unim
Now this job of manager of the P
home concern has many disadvan- thing as malting: a dress.
to es as well as advantages and it's Yet m this very important business
g n
not surprising that• the dof spending mono tisadvantages p money -the business we
may 'sometimes seem pretty big, well' know is going to affect our hap-
piness a
For one thing, there is no direct re-
very
and development-.wea ?
1
lotion between the home manager's Oh, what s the use of panning • the truth, we're all a litho that way.' cut, face . smooth and free from' station.
increased efficiency and an increase But once we have tried planned spend- It isn't that we spehd foolishly or `yiinkles, with bright prominent eyes, rtgsr stzocs too SMALL,
in zer a -indeod some home man- ing, we would no mato live without a wickedly.' Rather it is that we want skin soft, liable sad of lino texture) Some farmers have shops which
1 P Y budget than without food, It becomes
agars have hard work finding a sal- g something to spend just as we like and a general appearance of health' P
, a with noquestions asked or details DP while they lack several of the essen
nry, to say nothing of an increase. necessity. ' and vi or, i dais of a real farm shop, serve a very
Another big disadvantage is the
START WITH TilO THREE ESSENTIALS. I published. Cull all' birds that show a lack of
lack of competition in the job. Don't In making a budget, figure first the' After all, I ask you, is it much fun vigor, a sluggish lazydisposition, a useful purpose. For example, I re-
Another
know how it is -the very minute absolute essentials pf living;there; to save uppenny by pennyand dime g ' ggirecently visited a farmer friend. One
So coarse rough head with overhanging, of my auto tires caused trouble while
somebody wants something you have, are three -shelter, food and clothing. by dime for a family treat and then eyebrows, an Inclination to break there. My tire tools were too blunt
you value your possession the mare? We are interested not only in hav-i have the family open the account book down behind, or that show heavy de. to"suit my hest. He said; "Just let
The mere matter of a spring hat is ing a roof over our heads; we want and say', Oh,. that cost $2.49 the posits of internal fat, as evidenced by me fix those tools for you." His shop
quiokey decided if the next customer that place warm and light and com-; other night, didn't .iti" We like to •a thick skin and an abdomen that is was only a few etopsaway. Kindling
begins eyeing a hat you had hardly fortable. So under the general head keep a little something to ourselves hard ate firm to the touch. In con- was ready to start a fire in the forge.
noticed --you want the thing the other No (IUESTIOI•IS ASKED. 1 tract to this the heavy layer will have In just a few minutes the tire tools
very simple accounts under the same
heading's used in your budgeter Have
a line across for each day and set
down figures only, un:ess for some
reason you feel you would like a no-
tation of additional information,,
It takes very little time.. Some days
you will spend nothing; some days
you will have so many items you may
decide to. set them down an a scratch
pad first so as to make sure you rem-
ember. everything before you start
putting them in your book,
At the end of the month, add up all
the columns and put the totals on
your yearly page at the back of the
book. If you are slow at figures as I
am, it may take you en hour, but
when you see the resuiks, you will
think it an hour well spent.
You can see your mistakes -of
course we all make them, but once we
see them down in black and white,
we don't make the same mistake
twice, Indeed, no!
Now there is one. objection' to all
this budget -making business and it's n
real objection, not a little trumped-up
one like having no time for accounts,'
And because I know how to get around
it, I'm going to drag it right out on
the page and tell you about it,
There are aka who don't like to
set down every nickel spent. To tell
Eliminate tie Nen-Producer,
Probably the greatest hindrance to
the proflta e eep ng o p y
the ordinary farm le the retention of
a lot of fowl that are poor layers, due
either to their being too old or of a „,III FARM WORICSIIOP PAYS.
type to produce meat rather than, There is izo part of the farm equip -
The production of eggs is the end ment which has e greater share in
of the poultry business in which the the convenience, satisfaction, prosper -
most profit ego be made, so that a ity and net income of the farm than
heavy egg producing type is the type a well -ordered shop,
that is best suited to ordinary farm By "shop" I da vat mean an alley.
conditions, j way to the pig pons or earn crib, or
Generally speaking, the pullet year an old shed In which are thrown. all
is the most profitable period of a hen's the odds -and ends of the farm, Nor
life. It is advisable, therefore, either does the term'suit Inc when applied
to mark the ,cliickswhen hatched, us- to a room some 10x12 feet,' more or
ing a different mark for each year, or; less, which has a few tools hung on
to band the pullets when they are put, the walls, a bench or table an one side
into winter quarters, so that at cull- which is se loaded with nondescript
ing time the age of the different birds left -overs, dirt,.etc., that one indis-
may be seen at a glance and only tinetively shies away from it; while
those that are required for breeding the floor is filled, except for a path
purposes retained after the • first extending from the door to some -
year's production. I where in the. room, by barrels, kegs,
For the careful breeder the use of boxes and discarded pieces of wood
the trap -nest is the logical means to .and metal, Can you picture the place?
cull the flock but the ordinary farmer Of course, there is no such shop on
does not use trap.nests so that relz- your farm but You can visualize one
anee must be placed on physical char -i an —'s farm over across the river!
acteristies. The high producer will be, Such a shop will serve as a catch -
found to' be of an -active disposition,1 all -a place where - search may be
early off the roost in the morning and made for some bur, bolt, odd scrap or
late to go to roost at night and al-; Piece of repair material, but it falls
ways busy. Her head will be clears far short of a reel farm "service
fficient Parnin
ing we include fuel, light, telephone,
household supplies, repairs, taxes and
all the many expenses that are nee-
But
ew
i
woman hankers for. But where is the 5o at our house we have personal skin that is,fine in texture and the
had
competition for dishwashing and allowances paid monthly to each mem pl' bl Th'
cooking? It does not seem to exist!
THE LUCKIEST WOMAN Oe' ALL.
But when we consider the advan-
tages we could list a dozen had we the
space! The freedom-
-""Now don't talk to me ;about frees
e -m," exclaimed one woman, as she
vigorously interrupted talk on my pet
hobby one day. "How can you sug-
gest such a thing when we are. so' tied
down every day?"
I wonder if we are any different
from other folks and their jobs? Isn't
every man or woman tied down to
doing the same thing day after day
Whether it be in office or factory or
kitchen or farm? And as for freedom,
do you know of anyone who -may be so
free while doing her daily tasks as the
woman who lives on a farm?
She is free to plan her work as she
pleases, tucking in a'bit of recreation
here and there if she is a skillful
planner; she is free to enjoy fresh
air and a view as she works; she is
free to sing and to think as she
works, and to pack infinite variety
into her day's work -cooking, house-
keeping, gardening and poultry tend-
ing are mixed in with sewing and
marketing.
As we study our job we find that we
have only two things to work -with-
the fancily income and our time. And
family
the success and happiness of
life will 'amend upon our skill in get-
tingtal.
this dualcapital.
value out of
fullP
It is a bit easier to organize the in-
come because it something we can
see and handle, so we will talk about
it first.
The first step in organizing the
money part of home making is to find
the amount of income. Sometimes this
appeara so difficult that many well-
meaning people stop right there and
never get any farther in home organ-
ization. The farmer has has good
and' bad seasons.
Fortunately the law of averages
helps over this difficulty. We may
not know what we have this year,
but we can find out what we made last
year and the year before that, Go
back five years if you can -never
take less than three -and add to-
gether all five incomes. Then find
the average. In case of doubt, esti-
mate too `low rather than too high;
it always easier to spend more than
to cut down carefully made plans.
And be sure to remember all the
various side lines of business and
count in all the butter money, the
chickens, garden truelc and the like.
Count in ell sources of income -it
pays to ]mow.
The probable income determined,
you can now consider the spending,
A plan for spending money is
called a budget. Some people think a
budget is a list of percentages, and
as they disiike arithmetic they lot
budgets alone.
Others think it is a household' ace
• count, which of course it isn't, Some
phut their spending in their heads and
are quite unaware that they ase fol-
lowing a budget. Of course a mental
budget is better than none; but a
written down budget is best, for when
figures .are actually on paper they
era be carefully studied and con-
sidered.
Sometimes people say, "What's the
use of making a budget? No sooner
do we get started then Susie gets
the measles and there's a doctor's bill.
Or ,Johnnie wears out his shoes. 1'11
spend my money when I have it, and
when it's gone, we'll do; without. -
that's all there is to it!"
Of course the .budget didn't cause
the measles and Johnnie would have
worn out his shoos, anyway -boys
always do! So that's no case against'
u budget, And one cannot help but
notice that families who "operate on 0
essary to make a house a home. And- -I abdomen will be soft and is e. is desired thinness just as well as any
her of the family. Each person re- last feature is ane on which great blacksmith could have done it.
instead of calling it shelter we call all ceivin an allowance keeps his or her weight should be placed, but in culling But to speak of his shop. It is a1
that operating expense, for it allots g P
money needed too erste the home. ' own private account and then reports reliance should be placed on a corn- one -storey building. about like a single!
P to the family bookkeeper at the end bination of features rather than on garage, fairly well equipped with 1
Under the heading of food we•in- of the month giving the totals only any one feature. bench, vise, grinder and forge, is in
1
elude all money• needed to feed the of moneys speht. These are set down',
household. Doubtless some food, per. I under the proper columns and no How to Start Bee -Keeping.
the home garden and will not be paid q S. A. Strong, mon, wishes •to
"But my husband would never keepknow how he should start bee -keeping. AREAL WORKSHOP. for in cash. It is a wise thing to keep an account," said a woman at a meet-, �
a'fairlyaccurate record of such home In two years ago, "so I couldn't do By writing to the Publications Now let me tell you what are the
grown food; also an estimate of its' » Branch, Dept. of Agriculture, Ottawa, essentials of a real, honest -to -goodness,
that. he can secure several publications re- maidmum profit-making farm work
market value. This record will show "Oh; yes you could," I assuredher.�
how the garden pays and will give en- Earring thereunto, but Bulletin No. shop.
couragement to the gardener. "Keep an account of all you know, 33, "Bees and.How to Keep Thea!," 1. -It should be a separate building.
about and simply charge the rest to, by C. B. Gooderham, Dominion Apiar- -a distinct unit of the group of farm;
In allowing the clothing money, him. Don't bother him about it. Put: . •
fl re n se orate sum for each mem •ist will give him all the instant in- buildings. It should be placed where
haps considerable, will be taken from, uestions are asked:•
orderly condition, but isetoo small to
be of the greatest service. It has only
a small door entrance.
P down all the main expenses as You formation required. No charge is it will be most convenient to barns,
her of the'family, and, as soon as know thein. That will give you much
possible, let the children manage more knowledge about your home made either for the bulletin or post -tool sheds, house, and where it will
their own clothing fund. A separate business than you now have, and with' age. Incidentally it might be stated prthe least fire hazard.
clothing account helps to encourage that startyou will find the way of do that Mr, oder am gives the follow- 2. -It should be somewhat larger
more careful persons and to train the in better." ing equipment as necessary for mak- than a double garage, with plenty of
more careless members of the family. g I h d she ing a start with two colonies of bees: space, say twelve feet, in front of
y g rushed up teems inti open arms. hives; two hives com .ete with of this space should be devoted to a
double budget for clothing, one for "It works," she cried happily, it frames; floor boards andcoversfor work bench, stove, forge, drill press,
the least you can possibly manage to works just fine and We're getting increase; for these two hives 2'/e and power plant, whether it be motor•,
get along on and one for a more gen- along wonderfully." pounds of light or medium brood farm electric or gee engine.
erous Income. Then if this year I knew she meant a budget, for of
d'oesn't prove to be very good, you course a budget works when it's given foundation; one No. !.bee smoker; one overhead
should be a lthe tools can manage to get along on the lower half a chance. bee veil; one pound No. 28 tinned overhead and placed so that the tools
income; but if It is 'a good year, you _-,- wire; One spur or electric. wire em- may occupy as little space as possible,
beddor• one hive tool. yet still be convenient for work. -
It is a ver ood idea to have a This spring saw her
again an • Two colonies of bees in modern where the cars would stand. The most
have already decided on a fair di-
vision so that all may enjoy the great -
To Feed Soft Corn Safely. For 'extracted honey production- 4. -There should be a few feet
er prosperity.
These three necessities planned for,
we must make provision for food,
shelter and clothing in the future. chances for sick ,pigs, escape boards fitted with bee escapes; should be as nearly wind -proof as os -
That means 'e must ust set aside some P pos-
That pasture or sound
take a pigoff s
To p onehoney extractor with 1., inch b
o Bible.
Y It would
be
Ysuperior
if
money for investment. In. actual,verythe
practice, this investment money should grain and throw him into a soft corn 18 -inch baskets; uncapping knives. walls were of hollow building tile.
be planned for first of all, because we field or throw soft corn to him is to For comb honey production: Eight Regardless of what the materials
are much more likely to save if we invite disaster. He should be accus- comb honey supers; about 300 sec- used are, the point to be attained is
save first. tomed to this new and, to his way of tions; four pounds thin foundation; to have a shop which may be made
Those four departments of living, thinking, most likeable feed slowly. two wire queen excluders; two bee comfortable for work in winter time.
important as they are, do not include Better give him a two-thirds ration escape boards fitted with bee escapes. 7. -There should be an abundance
all of life, of oats ,or barley with one-third soft Manufacturer's catalogues giving of windows so that Light may be.
We want to be wiser, batter people corn fax a few days, gradually in- prices can be obtained free on appli- plentiful on all sides of any piece of
e creasing the corn and decreasing
e'er every year of living, the
our money must be spent fax advanceof-
So somlighter grains. And at all times keep
ment. That means we must allow a mixture of salt, soda and lime be -
money leer doctor and dentist and va- fore him. A little care along these
cation -that's for physical advance- lines will save many a 'pig. And how
meat; for books and music, magazines they do grow and fatten on soft corn,
and radio, higher education for the tankage and alfalfa!
children and farm and home clubs for
the ,grown -ups -that's mental ad-
vancement; money for church and
charity -that's our material expres-
sion of spiritual growth, -
While the children are little it is
an excellent plan to start an educa-
tional fund, building up toward the
days when they will be ,ready for col-
lege. A reserve fund is a big help
and even a small annual suving will
count up delightfully.
Sick pigs and soft corn are twin Six deep or twelve shallow supers more width to the building than is
troubles for a lot of farmers. They fitted with frames; seven and one- required for a double garage.
cannot avoid having soft corn, but a half pounds of light brood foundation; 5. -The floor should be of concrete.
few precautions will lessen the two wire queen excluders; two bee 6. -The walls, roof, doors, etc.
MONEY POR PUN.
But even all that is not the whole
of living, for all work and no play
snake Jack and. Jill very dull neigh•
bore; we. evantrzi to lay aside some
money ,each year for fun. Budget
makers usually ea11 that luxury
money and they don't mean sealskin
coats and diamonds ,either.
They mean movies and trips and,
social pleasureseand any sort of fun
one wishes. But remember this, full
money must be as well spent as tiny'
other; it must' give us relaxation,
pleasure, and a zest for goingtrack
to work. Otherwise it's wasted.
At our house we make a budget on
Nety Year's Day with every member
of the family gathered around the
dining-roni table ready to offer an
opinion or suggestion. But if you
have never made a budget, don't wait
gill noxa New Year -to -day is budget
clay for you. And be sure to -let every
member of the family sit he en the
conference,
By this time someone has doubtless
started to say, "All that sounds easy.
But after the budget 'is-mad`amwhat
happens then? How can you tell that
the budget is followed?"
That's easy too, You keep n system-
atic account -not to tell how much
cation.
Itis not so much the work we do,
as that we bring to something all our
best.
Strawberries and raspberries can -
Haphazard spraying usually is of not grow in a patch which is allowed
little or no benefit. to becomd a mass of plants.
TRAINING OU R CHILDREN
The Difficult Parent By Helen Gregg Green
We read and hear of the difficult Jimmy's mother hurried the trem-
husband, the difficult wife, and chil- tiling child off to tiled, while I, troubled
dz•en that are difficult, but who ever by the incident, started home.
heard of a difficult parent being die- My first room -mate at college, who
cussed. Still there are plenty of theirs. now has two small daughters, one
A child is a human being, even as seven, one nine, is another example
you and I, although eve sometimes of such a parent. She is high-strung
impose upon children simply because and fussy, allowing and encouraging
we can, trifles to worry and irritate her.
Her children pay the price for these
I was invited to dine with a young
attorney and 'his wife not long ago. moods.
,Jim phoned, asking us not to wait Naturally they, too, are developing
dinner for him; he had been in court a first-class set of "neryes,"
all day ,and would be late. One day I met them skipping home
As WO finished dinner, he sauntered {tom school. "Oh,gee,Aunt
in, looking tired and 'glum, He threwCassie,hu-
his hat on the davenport, giving his we do hope Mother is in a good ie'
wife and six-year-old son a perfunc- mor. She's such a door when silo's
happy," announced the older child,
tory kiss. "Yes," hesitatingly, "but I tell you,
Ea ate hurriedly; then joined us.
she's awful unreasonable, whoa
As he entered the room, his eyes she's cross," offered little Midge.
turned towards Isis son, playing en the "Azid, do you know, she' gets cross at
davenport. Suddenly he blustered,
us • over the funniest things re The
little brows puckered.
"James, Jr„ you're sitting on my
hat!" In a moment he completely
lost his self-control, his temper flared,
and Jimmy, Jr., received a severe
sodding:
The child turned white, and tears
Started dov'n his little eheeke.
"Daddy, Iso sorry. 1—"
"There, none of your tears and ox-
cuses, young man, You're a fine
specimen of carelessness!" Again the
unjust anger of the father was heap-
ed upon his child, all becalm he'd
lost Itis case in court that day.
Strange, isn't it, that parents fail to
realize' the danger of alienating their
children's affections when indulging
in these difficult and unreasonable
moods?
Haw we all love the person who
understands our feelings and .dislike
the one with whom we must always
be guarded! In time- he breomee a
bore. And, after all, children are a lot
like ns. I think they must feel the
same way, don't you?
work that is being handled.
8. -It would be entirely possible to
place the feed grinder in one side of
the shop if the farm does not use the
shop as a garage.
9. -Drawers, shelves, hooks, etc.,
should be planned and placed so as to
keep all tools, bolts, nails, screws, ma-
terials, etc., etc., in convenient places.
Drawers, boxes, etc., for special uses
should be labeled. This will aid great-
ly in keeping things in their places. 1
10. -It is not necessary to furnish:
plans and specifications for such, al
building. The size and shape may bel
varied somewhat, It may be built of
the finest materials and have the
drawers, etc., made by a cabinets
maker. Or, it may be made of rough!
lumber by a hammer and saw car-
pencer, ti rough lumber shop may
be made very serviceable and also
very attractive by covering with a
heavy, three-ply slated roofing zna-
terial, strips running up and down on
sidewalls and stripped at laps and
midway between laps. This makes
a good fire -resisting wall, too.
REASONS FOR LARGE SHOP.
Why do I urge a large shop? There
are, many reasons for it.
1. -Perhaps the foremost reason for
it is that it gives roost to work in
shelter and protects from the winter's
blasts or summer's rains, A big stove
may be put in and the shop made per-
fectly comfortable for many days of
winter work.
2. -It enables a farmer to do many
of his most expensive jobs. It costs
money to hire a garage mail to over-
haul a tractor or automobile. Most
jobs of fitting up farm tools having
broken parts are neglected because of
the heavy cost of taking the machine
to town far work.
3, -Opportunity is given to make
use of pewee in running tools, Faint-
ers who have hooked the grindstone,
drill press, and other tools up to motor
or engine power are the ones who
really appreciate the advantages of
using engine grease rather than elbow
grease. Such power tools :ae can be
put into a good shop are great labor.
savers. They add much to the effi-
ciency of the farm. The number and
quality of such labor-saving equip-
ment are limited only by the resource-
fulness of the farmer.
4. -Opportunity is given to capital-
ize idle winter days and rainy days
for all kinde of repair work and the
construction of many new things
which may be used to great advan-
tage on the farm.
If you. take' your ear to town to be
overhauled -and nearly every auto
should be overhauled each winter -
you will pay $1.00 to $L60 per hour
for the time of the mechanic to do the
job. Why not make money by doing
the work yourself in your own shop?
6. -With' large doors any farm ma-
chine can be taken into the shop for
work. A hay or other rack; stoek
crates or large pieces of farm equip-'
merit may be made by the fire in win-
ter, Painting or other jobs may be
done. Horses may be taken into the
shop to.have their feet trimmed or
shod.
Most industrious farmers can make
such a shop pay for itself in one year.
MAY REARRANGE emernNO.
On many farms there is already a
building or shed -maybe an old house
or one end of a tool'shed-which can
easily be remodeled into a good shop.,
Just a small amount spent in build -1
ing or remodeling a shop in which;
the "mechanics" of the farm can be''
centred, may be made the means of!
saving the farm -or adding to the net
income -over $500 per year.
If you have a big boy with a me-
chanical turn of mind give him the,
lob, with your frienoiy suggestions'
and supervision, of planning and put-
ting the shop on the farm. Then pay,
him good wages for overhauling all;
machines which need overhauling,,
You will soon discover that the boy
is more interested in the farm!
O
Crops in Eastern Canada.
In a report dated August 21 on the
state of crops in Eastern Canada, the;
Dominion Seed Branch at Ottawa!
notes that, generally speaking, the;
situation in the Maritime Provinces;
is fair, although in some districts,'
principally in New Brunswick,
drought has been experienced with'
light crops as a result. An average!
crop of hay is promised in all three;
provinces. In Quebec, forage crops'
are good excepting corn, and hay is'.
up to the average. Dairymen arej
stocking with a supply of feed for
some months, in anticipation of high-
er prices for feed concentrates. In1
some districts of Ontario haying has
suffered from an excess of rain. In
portions of south-western Ontario al
phenomenal crop of fall wheat is re-
ported, running from 30 to 40 bushels
per acre. Prices per bushels are
around 30 cents higher than last year.
Prices of other' farm products have
also advanced.
LITTLE BROWN BUNNIES.
"Oh, little brown bunnies, come out
and play!"
Cried a child at the close of a sum-
mer day,
As she wandered over a moorland
wide,
Where under the bracken the rab-
bits hide;
"I've left my terrier -'Spot' -at hone,
So along with me you can safely
roam!
I've brought you a cabbage, all
fresh and green -
A finer one I have never seen!"
"I've got fresh clover and lettuce too,
I think they will be so nice for you-
I know that bunnies don't care to eat
The sweets and cakes that I think a
treat!"
Then the merry brown bunnies came
out to play
When the twilight shadows were
gathering gray,
And they ventured close to the maid-
en's side,
And cabbage, and clover, and lettuce
they tried.
They frolicked about in the falling
dew,
And the little girl watched .the funny
crew,
But footsteps were heard, as they
leaped and played,
And the pretty bunnies were much
afraid.
With a flash of tails, soft, fluffy, and
white,
In an instant they all had taken
flight!
And the child just whispered, "Good-
bye I Good-bye Y"
As she went towards her home, 'neath
• the sunset sky.
-Maud E. Sargent.
Jade Frost, nature's sheriff, will
soon put his crisp seal an the door of
Mother Earth, for she is not earning
so much heat these days and has very
little to spend during the longer,
cooler nights, Perhaps, indeed, there
will be a couple of rainy days when
Mother Earth will earn no heat at
all; then if it clears off in the night
Jack will catch her surely,
NEIGiHBORHOOD
FRICTION
Few farm neighborhoods are entire=
ly free from friction. It cornea from
various causes. Sometimes it le a
line fence that causes the trouble.
Again, it is district sehool affairs, or
drainage problems, or misunderstand-
Ings about who is to thresh first, or
just plain incompatibility.
Very close to one hundred per cent,
of these differences are petty, The
grounds upon which they are based
are childish. Reduced to their simp-
lest terms, any advantage gained is
invariably outweighed by the bitter-
nese that accompanies it. Selfishness
is a trait of human nature, Gener-
osity is a counter -trait to it. It is a
very easy thing to And fault. It Is
just as easy, and mueh more enjoy-
able, to see and talk of the goad
things about others, The people we
like best aro those we know best,
Friendliness and understanding will
overcome friction; they often ,mark
the dividing line between selfishness
and generosity.
These thoughts are brought about
by an ice cream party that has mark-
ed the wind-up of operations of the
threshing ring in one of our good
neighborhoods. This particular neigh-
borhood has not been without its
rather serious as well as petty differ-
ences, but at the close of a successful
threshing season they all got together
and spent a very pleasant evening in
friendly confab and neighborly so-
ciability. The effect on this particular
neighborhood is at once noticeable and
is like oil poured upon troubled
waters.
THE SCRUB HEN STILL EXISTS.
In spite of much agitation and
education on the subject of pure-bred
fowls the scrub chickens continue to
give worry to the progressive farm-
ers. Of course, a man may keep hens
producing thirty to fifty eggs yearly
if he wishes, but the old Bible trl:th,
"No man liveth to himself," surely is
true on the farm where neighborly
traditions are stiong and where peo-
ple will bear a good deal before going
to law for their rights. I well remem-
ber years back when several neighbors
would, trade eggs for hatching with
my mother, bringing their little, ill -
shaped product in exchange for her
fine large eggs. It was good luck to
trade, they said blandly, and she was
too neighborly to remind them that
she had to sell their eggs at a loss or
eat them because her own were selling
at an extra price for hatching in a
large hatchery. Now many people did
say at that time, and would to -day,
that it was her own fault if she al-
lowed herself to be imposed upon, but
such people have never lived in a
country community where work must
he exchanged and people depend upon
each other in emergencies.
And another thing is the trouble
the ranging chickens make. You can
hardly fence against the wiry, tiny
scrub hens and roosters. I saw a hen
displayed for sale the other day that
in her best estate could not have
'weighed more than two.pounds. Wiry,
scrawny, tough, and with not a bit of
yellow fat anywhere visible, she had
been contributed to a Grange ex-
change. Such
a hen can, and does,
creep through a knot hole. One of our
corn fields used to be over -run with
dozens of these wiry fowls always
eating and never getting enough, and
the owner said truly that no fence
could turn then!, but still he clung to
the belief that it was expensive busi-
ness to start with pure-breds. If you
are buying a new farm it is well to
see if your nearest neighbor keeps
scrubs.
But the most serious trouble about
the scrub hen Is that it discourages
the women and girls on the farm and
makes them wish to move to town.
While the neighbors are going with
overflowing baskets and full crates,
and getting top prices, or are shipping
direct to the city, the owners of the
scrubs are humiliated with low pro-
duction and the poorest market. There
is small incentive to a boy or girl to
take an interest in chickens when
all kinds and sizes and colors are Ili
the farm yard. It doesn't cost much
to get rid of the scrub roosters, get
some pure-bred eggs and put the
scrub hens to work to raise little
chicks if you cannot afford an incu-
bator or brooder. One season with
really good fowls will convince the
most skeptical that the scrub is hardly
fit to be eaten, much less to be a com-
mercial asset on the modern farm.
The eggs and poultry market must
not be despised by the farmer who
wishes to succeed, and there should
be no place left for the scrub fowl in
any community. -Hilda Rechmond.
i /.•sl fit'
You Beti
She ---"Do you believe -a trip to the
seashore really will do you good?'
lie -"Sure! 11 you stay at one of
those hotels you'll be done good, all
right."
-.-.4
The Origin of Caste.
The word "taste" is of Pm-fugueeo
origin, signifying purity of blood.