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OCTOBER, 1894.
one another to a higher plane of thinking
and living; hut above them all, in impor
tance to the human race, I would place
domestic science. We have seen that the
interests ot the people demand certain
qualifications in one who would become a
physician. Who will say that the qualifi
cations for motherhood, that highest of all
responsibilities, are not of greater impor
tance to humanity? I would have these
and all other departments of human inter
est go onward and upward in the co-oper
ative development of our race, but if I had
to choose in bestowing all our thought and
effort on any one class, my vote would be
to prepare our mothers for their own and
their children’s welfare, and thus reduce
to the minimum the need of the physician,
the lawyer and many other classes. No
one word so expresses the entire field of
domestic science as this word—mother
hood. It closely concerns husband, wife,
child, home, state, nation. It demands
knowledge, not theoretical but practical;
there is a question as to how much of evil
consequences may be mixed with the bless
ing of “higher education" for women, and
I fear that in the pursuit of advanced math
ematics and dead languages, ancient myths
and modern isms, the interests which are
nearest to us and which should be dearest
to us as mothers, are often seriously neg
lected, if not entirely forgotten.
A very frequent error is made by the be
lief that money can supply the need of
practical knowledge of and careful atten
tion to the small (?) affairs of life. Money
will command a physician in case of sick
ness, but I have seen his skill prove una
vailing when a little judgment and pru
dence on the part of a mother would have
avoided the sickness entirely. Money
will secure the services of able lawyers
when a boy gets into criminal difficulties,
but money will not restore the boy’s good
name and character, nor will it lift the
shadows of sorrow from over a home that
was proudly contented and happy. Far
better a mother’s wise instruction to the
infant and the youth, than a lawyer’s able
defense of the young man.
“I don’t care for my daughter to learn
domestic work, for I never expect her
hands to have such work to do,” says a
short-sighted mother who is rearing a girl
to believe that fine dresses and ballroom
hypocrisy are the highest aims of life. But
money cannot always provide against the
fickleness of independent servants or the
trickery of dishonest ones; competent
maids or manservants will often take ad
vantage of an incompetent mistress, and a
home that was erstwhile peaceful is thrown
into disorder and sometimes into disgrace
—for no one can tell when a “rift in the
lute” of domestic science may mar the
family music for a lifetime. Another im
portant consideration' in the matter of
money is that no safe remedy has ever
been found against the changes of fortune,
except that independent practical knowl
edge which asserts itself despite the smiles
of prosperity or the frowns of adversity.
The petted child of to-day may be thrown
penniless on her own resources to-morrow,
and I know of no weapons that can be
more valuable in the battle that will then
open, than the arrows of domestic knowl
edge and the shield of common sense.
Some of the sweetest verses that have
ever appeared in Woman’s Work were
written by a Northern woman whom it is
not my pleasure to know personally, but
whom I have learned to admire for the
practical sense and candor displayed by
her letters to me. In these she has told
me that to earn an honest support she does
laundry work for a number of students
near her. My heart goes out in sympathy
for her that necessity thus demands a sac
rifice of pride and a severe tax of human
strength, but it also goes out in admira
tion for the spirit which can defy the criti
cisms of thoughtless persons who would os
tracise a noble woman for earning an hon
orable living by the means which are
nearest at hand—however humble those
means—but who deem themselves fortu
nate to be in a “high-toned” social circle
which is made up of those whose money
has been gained by more or less respecta
ble (?) methods of gambling and stealing.
All honor to the man or woman who dares
to do the right in the face of obstacles,
and, if need be, in defiance of the senseless
whims of society. I fear that I would not
be so brave; I fear that few of you would
be equal to such a test, but I commend
such bravery as worthy to be inscribed
above the records of daring deeds on mili
tary fields or storm-tossed seas.
I belisve that the field of domestic sci
ence is illumined by noble deeds and noble
achievements which reach ficm the hum
blest service that claims the physical
strength of woman up to the highest senti
ment which moves the heart of the wife
and the mother. I would urge the study
of its every branch until each and all these
branches shall serve to uplift it in the eyes
of all mankind, to its rightful place in the
forefront of advancing civilization—the
grandest of all the sciences. I would have
its votaries accorded their full share of re
spect and praise, and if the band be guided
by a mind that is ambitious and a heart
that is pure and true, whether it wields a
mop or duster which makes an abiding
place more healthful and comfortable, or
holds the dainty brush which paints fair
est dreams of temporary joys or eternal
bliss, I would have the heart of all this
world to beat in unison with the senti
ment: “Toil on, brave hand, and God
speed your noble efforts.”
Flower Talks.
[Note.] —Letters or MSS. for this Department
[but for no other] should be addressed to Mrs.
Imogene E. Johnson, Box 168, Los Gatos, Cal.
It is rather strange to note the different
tastes which some people display in regard
to flowers; what one admires may be very
distasteful to another.
One lady who is passionately fond of
flowers, does not like to have any about
her that have perfume. Then, many per
sons will take a great handful of flowers
with a heavy perfume, and sniff the fra
grance over and over again, inhaling the
intense odor with the most ecstatic pleas
ure.
Although roses are flowers possessed of
great delicacy of perlume, there are many
tfho do not appreciate their odor. One
man that I used to employ in my garden,
often said that he could not see what any
one found to admire in a rose, and he hat
ed to smell them. To inhale the odor of
roses, occasions violent sneezing in some
people, followed by headache.
One person likes the odor of syringas,
and raves over it; while another will cul
tivate only the odorless variety, because
the overpowering sweetness of the scented
sort, is highly objectionable.
A lady remarked, “I love mignonette!”
Her daughter, standing by, said, “I can’t
see what Mamma, or anyone else, finds to
admire in mignonette; it certainly is not
attractive as a plant—the little, insignifi
cant, grey green thing that it is—and as
for the fragrance that Mamma likes so
much, I can’t find it, it smells just like
dust to me.” «
I know of one old lady who just revels
in marigolds, and says she would be con
tent to have them all over the ranch, and
have no other flowers. I heard another
woman say, contemptuously, “Marigolds!
just look at them!” as we came in view of
a large flower-garden, “I declare I believe
that woman would plant anything. Just
look at the great clumps of marigolds, the
hideous things! I wouldn’t, oh, I wouldn’t
have one about the place.”
So, one may find just such differencesail
along. One woman revels in great clus
ters of Jacqueminot roses; another dislikes
their glowing color, and delights in the
soft, cool tones of Dr. Grill, Marie Van
Houtte, and Niphetos.
One enthusiastic flower grower who is
passionately fond of roses, detests Chry
anthemumi, and says that all they are
WOMAN’S WORK.
grown by anyone for, is simply because
they are a fashionable flower. He calls
them ill-scented, coarse and ugly.
And we find some persons who are so
filled with genuine love for flowers as to
like them all.
* * • * *
Flower growing, like anything else, is
only satisfactory when well attended to;
therefore it is better to have a small, se
lect lot of plants, and care for them in the
best possible manner, than to attempt to
raise an extensive garden and have it in
sufficiently cared for. Where one cannot
afford to hire the work done, or where
there are no men or boys about, to do the
spading and heavy work, the lady who
loves flowers must restrict her indulgence
in plants to a few; for, if plants are not
properly dug about often during their
growing season, they will not do well. A
plant that will grow luxuriantly and give
abundance of bloom when well cared for,
will, when given no attention, or insuffi
cient care, grow but little, and bloom less.
Flowers are things that need intelligent
care and plenty of it, to do their best.
Several things are necessary to the best
and fullest development of flowers; a prop
er location, the right sort of soil, right
kind of drainage, proper fertilizer, water
when necessary, and frequent stirring of
the soil; with these necessaries provided
for, flowers are sure to grow and do well.
When much water is given, artificially,
to flowers out of doors, the soil about them
needs frequent stirring—turning the top
soil under, that it may carry to the roots
what elements it has gathered from the
sun and air, and that the under soil may
come to the top for vitalization.
Then, when there is much water applied
on the surface, the roots seek the top of the
ground in search of water, instead of going
downward as they would naturally; a fre
quent stirring of the ground prevents their
doing so.
*****
Miss Rudolph, of Wisconsin, asks wheth
er so-called white heliotrope, is really white.
When grown in a green-house,it is almost
pure white, sometimes it is quite so, but
more often it has a purple tinge. It is a
good sort, even though it does not prove
always white. It is a rank grower, and
bears freely, very large trusses of bloom.
*****
In answer to an inquiry from Miss Tuck
er, of Ohio, will say that the fuchsia
called Storm King, has not a pure white
corolla; it is tinged, and more or less vein
ed with pink, and therefore rather disap
pointing, especially as it is a rather delicate
grower.
*****
“Dear Editress of Flower Talks,” writes
a lady in Tennessee, “Is the Mexican
Primrose a bad plant to put in the garden?
I have read that it is. It is so pretty, I
hate to think that it would be a nuisance.’
A nuisance it is, in many localities. The
blossom is a beautiful, dainty affair of pink
and white, and where it does not spread
around, it would be pretty to have. It has
a root that runs underground, and is fur
nished with eyes every inch or so, every
one of which will form anew plant. And
in some places, where it has been intro
duced, in warm, moist climates, it has
spread and become a terror to the agricul
turist. 1 have one in my garden; it has
stood there three or four months, and I
find that there are small ones coming up
all about it, for two or three feet. 1 am
going to take it up, root and branch. It has
not bloomed, except for a short time when
first planted, and I fear its noxious quali
ties. Better not plant the Mexican Prim
rose.
*****
Anyone who has not a few water-lilies
growing, is missing a great treat. Make
sure that you have provided for them next
year, if it is only a commen barrel with
rich earth in the bottom, and the rest of
the barrel filled with water from the pump.
*****
Dear Floral friends:—l have a little
garden which I call my “invalid garden,”
—a garden in which I raise flowers for
those who are sick. It has a border of
pansies; inside I have mignonette, pink
and white Marguerite carnations, Mexican
primroses and daisies, and a rose-leaf ge
ranium for foliage. 1 always keep a ball
of old yarn to tie the stems with, as this is
so soft it does not bruise them, and over
this I tie a piece of white, pale blue, or
pink binding ribbon. When I know any
one is sick 1 send them a bouquet, to cheer
them. We cannot all have a garden
growing out of doors the year round, but
we can in the summer, and in the winter
we can have a rose-leaf geranium, a pink,
or some fuchsias. When we have only a
few, we may not care to pick the flowers ;
but how much good one blossom wil i do!
lam so glad our editress has given the
flower lovers a corner all for themselves.
Mrs. A. F. Greer.
LaGrange Female College
Is a most excellent school for young ladies.
Those desiring a healthful location, the best
moral and social surroundings, and exceptional
advantages in music, art, etc., can find them
all combined in this institution. An advertise
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