Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-05-11
Spring Duties.

The advent of warm weather brings q
great accumulation Of work to the housewife /;
and usually person is not feeling adequate
to any addition of care and labor at this
season. There is feeling of languor and
depression that causes one to shrink from ex-
ertion. Physiological reasons account for
this feeling Of half.sickness very philosophic-
ally, but we have no time to analyze either
cause or effect. for multitude Of things are
waiting for attention; if We can possibly get
time to 60 out and take the morning air for
half an hour 1t will do great deal toward
making US comfortable for that day. All
the blankets, mittens, mufflers and knit goods
that have been used through the cold season
need looking alter aud meuding, besides
washing and packing away for summer. Nu-
bias and white crocheted goods are best
cleaned by rubbing in wheat bran and we'll
brushed they look fresh and new and never
full up So many things there are to do that
the only way is to take it easy aud not try
to accomplish too much at once, so that
courage will hold out to the end. What
work we do needs to be we'll done in order
that there be no waste or spoil to mar orr
future comfort. Carbolic acid aud spirits OF
ammonia freely used will save a great ex-
penditure Of strength and time in the spring
cleaning, besides rendering the air pure, and
the house sweet.
withdrawing is a necessary part of this
seasons work. 1t is not necessary for the
wife or mistress to do it herself A woman
who undertakes to whitewash is very foolish
To make a martyr OF herself, and man who
would permit his wife to do it shows lack
either of affection or common sense. Let
him take his brush and try it himself and
1 see how he likes it, and then think whether
W is suitable for woman to DO such work
Wing up and putting down carpets is hard
enough work, but harmless compared tC
shewashing Spots of grease can be wash.
|out of carpets with hot water and ammo.
i and rubbed with cloth thoroughly
lpots on wall paper can be removed by ap
= plying thick coat of boiling hot starch and
left to dry day or two and brushed off thu
paper will be left clean and bright; wher'
ii is smoked badly wheat bran tied up in {
thick cloth and rubbed over the surface viii
remove it aud make it clean. Sand and soal
spoils paint, and should never be used, as
few drops of ammonia on a cloth is far nice
and does the work easier and quicker; tel
cents worth Of ammonia is of more value il
cleaning house than three gallons of soap an,
hired girl week.
One great trouble with the ladies is this
they do not care to try any new ways Of do
ing their work they jog on in the old beat
en- track and leave all the new Improvement
and inventions to be applied and used b.
their husbands, whereas homework is a.
much lightened and improved by science anC
experiments as the agricultural department
knowledge is power just as much in house
work as in any other pursuit or branch @
business, and certainly housewives need h
avail themselves Of all the helpful power
that can be obtained to tighten the burden Q
care and labor. st. Paul says that 'cleanli
ness is next to godliness :" that it is as essen
tial to health and happiness is certainly true
but We must remember that the apostle wa
an old bachelor, and not great admirer {
the women very possibly he had been jilte
by one Of them in lis early manhood, IN
his remarks about them have a strong fave
ofsour grapes. Most likely he would have PR
ierred seeing woman at all times with
scrub brush in one hand aud mop in Il
other, to seeing her have her work 6uishe
up in due season and leisure time for goC
rest. do not believe in women makiI
martyrs of themselves, and working one
self to death is as surely sin as any 9th
method Of suicide. Reason directs how mut
aud how far our labOrs may extend; al
conscience is good master to serve if '
obey its monitiOns and requirements.
FARMERS WIFE.