Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-11-11
THE FRUITS OF IDLENE Ess.
The condition Of Middle Class Girl.
in Towns.


especially that the want of occupation
implies. Young men are forced to get
their living whether they like it or not; but
a large number of young ladies in family
have absolutely nothing to do. Those
brought up in the country have this advant-
age, that they may always make work for
themselves; the village children may he
taught and Otherwise cared for; bringing
not only II blessing on them, but healthy
body and mind to the benefaclor.
In town the condition of middle class
girls is to me pitiabe. They are too gen
teel to follow any occupation; they are
often tco many in family to assist in
domestic duties; they have returned home
from school with some very poor accom-
plishments; their knowledge OF French
and German is not sufficient 20 allow them
to converse in those languages; and music
just enough to indulge in doleful song,
or play badly on the piano. They
dawdlely through the day in IA listless
way, and fall victims 10 thousand little
ailments which the doctor is supposed to
put right by physIc. And tho most
curious thing liz that should the instincts
of the girl force her to put some of her
enegies into use, she is ss likely as not to
be thwarted by the mother. ] am daily
witness to this; and when young ladies
are brought to me for advice, the invari-
able story is that they are overiaxing their
strength; the maternal instinct being SO
perverted that it has become with many
the belief that every movement means
fatigue, and absolute rest is the way to
insure health.
1t is against this very erroneous view
that I am nnw rreaphinU pbaaa uotbars
do not come to the doctor for advice but
come to dictate to him; and they say 81
want you, doctor, to insist on my daughter
not playing the organ at church, for it is
too much for her; or having that
ehildrens class once week, for she is
always i'll after it; bu. order her to have
her breakfast in bed, and glass OF port
wine about IL o'clock" IL is this fanciful
care on the part of parents which is SO
Injurious for the very energy OF young
people would command them to occupy
themselves. do not know that girls are
worse than boys in respect of idleness
for probably the latter would not work
occupation is good quite apart from that
at which they earn their daily bread.
the british Wheat Crop.
Boston Herald.
The London Times, after q comparison
of the varying figures of agricultural ex
perts and al examination of the latest
returns from oil parts of the country, esti-
mates that the wheat crop now being
harvested in the United Kingdom will give
an average yield OF 26 bushels per acre.
This estimate falls four bushels per acre
below the too favorable valuation made up
on the LIST inst. by MIR. Lawes, of Rotham-
sted in Hertfordshire, whose close predic-
tions in former years Eive him high rank
as an authority on the question. We
present below Mr.. Lawes' calculation and
the figures of the Times.
ESTIMATE OF MIR. LAwEs.
Average in Total of
Area under wheat. bushels. bushels
3057, 7Si acres. s............3 81, l,733, 500
Deduct for seed. .......,.. 81. 7,6ii, 400
Available for consumption .. si,0s9, ,0GO
Consumption of United Kingdom lJG, ,337 800
Quantity required from abroad liz, 2,2is, 40
ESTIMATE Oh THE TIMES.
Average in Total of
Area under wheat. bushels bushels.
3,OUWlD acres ....,......2b Ei,S2OODO
Deduct for seed. ..,....., 2ii G,907, 800
Available for consumption ..... 72.9l2, 800
Consumption Of United Kingdom, l02. 900 900
Quantity required from abroad 1l9. .0S7, 800
The computation of the Times, in CON
parison with that of MIR. Lawes, reduces
the wheat crop available for consumption
by | ,l76, $50 bushels and increases the
quantity required from abroad by
g. S39, ,060 bushels. The reduction of four
bushels per acre iu the estimated yield
would, of itself, exact IN increase of
l2,231 1856 bushels in the import of foreign
wheat. But, as will be noticed, the valua-
ton of the Times presents several minor
Cflsetts, and these cover the difference
In the first place there is an addition of
| l2,2lG acres to the area under wheat,
producing an increase of 3l7, ,6l6 bushels.
| Then there ID a saving of one peck per
acre in the quantity allowed for reseeding,
a decrease which spares 1876, 800 bushels.
Lastly the estimate of consumption for the
United Kingdom is diminished by
| 1, 1897, 800. The three offsets reckoned
together produce diminution of ., ,392, ,07G
| bushels in the quantity needed from
abroad, leaving the augmentation by the
later estimate at g, $50, ,0G0 bushels. We
have no doubt that the Times comes very
near the truth in its rating of the average
yield. 1t had the advantage of returns
later by fortnight than those upon
which Lawes based his computation, aud
the later reports were steadily unfavorable.
But we are inclined to thiuk that Mr..
Lawes made the clostr guess at the prob
able requirements or British consumers.
We believe that the quantity of wheat
which the United Kingdom must obtain
from foreigA countries during the current
harvest year will run as high as l25, con, ,00C
bushels.