Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-03-07
For the Field and Garden.
mo and Domestic Affairs.


FRIEND MEIExDr :-Since you have done
ME the honor to place my mime as one of
your contributors, will say something on
the very familiar subject Of Home and Domes-
tic afdirs. q .rs
First, Home, is more valuable than all else
in this world. and we in The West generally
set to low value on our home, have orr
price, and when that is offered, we are ready
to sell, and look for another nearly as good
at lower price; thus put our homes up for
sale on speculation. The man who will hold
his homestead ready fer sale, will not be like
ly to fix things around him as comfortable as
if he Notwithstanding to spend his days
there, and leave it--not the grcatest-but
the most lovely and sacred inheritance for his
children, and his childrens' children. These
remarks are not intended for the old bach,
who will not have home, nor for those who
are to lazy to earn home, nor for those who
spend all as they 60. Such persons can
hardly be counted as good Union men, for
they have no sacred homes to fight for, nor
to appreciate the jeopardy the awful rebellion
has caused us to feel, nor can they fully re-
joice with -me on this 18th of February ut
the glorious news our telegraph has been for
days been bringing. Of the most brilliant vic
tories our beloved country-our noble sod
lars have achieved, at the point Of the bayo-
net. love my country the more dearly af-
ter going through these bloody struggles to
SAGE oar homes.
A comfortable house and barn are first in
order, fences and fields; but before these are
enlarged too much, let us have the sAade and
fruit trees and zines about us. These are
the profitable, beautiful and attractive things
ola home. Ifwear going to sell our homes.
the outlay of money and labor, in planting
these trees will better pay than any other
improvement on the farm; and what is the
value of these trees and fruits If we keep
these homes for good old age, and for the
comfort of those to come after us! Have we
sufficiently counted the dctriment to all time
to come Of the neglect to plant about cur
buildings these shade and fruit trees, SO val
liable for protection, food, health and luxury !?
Now is the time, in March, to take off cut
tings from the cottonwood, before the buds
start,-stick them out when warm weather
comes, and they will grow from the cuttings,
make the quickest cheapest and biggest
tree we can raise A few wild willow stuck
out in the same way, are among the most
beautiful and graceful Of trees. Gather soft
maple. and elm seed the last Of May, when
it falls from the tree, and plant the seed i'm
mediately and it will come up and grow the
same summer. Gather walnuts, and butter
nuts in the fall, and plant in. fall, or freeze
out through winter and plant in spring. Send
to the chestnut country for these nuts in the
fau,-treat as other nuts, and never let them
dry if you would ensure their growth. Ny
chestnuts and butternuts, both bore nuts at
seven years old. Plant apple trees, for they
can be raised in this country, as easy as cat
tie can. The grape and t;.e strawberry cal,
be easily raised here, and they are sure Of a
crop.
These things have their moral influence.
The girls as well as the boys. should be taught
to cultivate the fruits and flowers OF the gar
den. These most healthful luxuriqs were
made for US, and we for them. 1t is thought
that our American race, are not as healthy
and robust now as in former generations. |
know Of no more healthful and profitable en-
ployment, for our young folks than this
work. Out door work for the girls. will in
sure health, and save the paint for the cheek
What is health worth The factories spin
and weave, which my mother used to. do;
and now thanks to the sewing machine, for
doing that life killing work, for those who
for twelve hours in the day, bent over the
stitches. Quit it and take to the garden
Mothers send your daughters out of doors to
work and to play. every day at regular
hour, that they may breath the fresh mori-
ing and evening air, and brave the bright
sunlight. Yes, bright sunlight! Sunlight
is almost as essential to our health as it is to
the growth Of a plant.
1t is high time our High School, our vii.
lage schools, our academies and colleges, were
reformed in the neglect Of the health Of the
scholars. Girls and boys, should have gar
den and field attached to the school, in which
to work. Parents, give this u'.s, thought.
Beauty and rural economy without, and
neatness, order, industry, health, and happi-
ness within, is what we live for. The char
acter of the State and nation, is made up of
these it'll things,-the families at home
Let labor be respected, and let our children
be taught 10 estimate every person by their
personal ~ rit, regardless of outward circunn-
stances. These are the great principles Of
our Republic. We were not born some to
be masters and others slaves or servants. 1t
is the wrong education of the Southern Re6.
els, that his roup them to ruin. It is ut
our firesdes shat the evils should be avoid
ed. Let us lr n dom from, the naughty
tyranny Of the masters Of the South. Let
the greater number Of our children be educa-
k.J o,,J G.J 90 a