The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-02-06
Maple River FARMERS, Club.
TENNI oroN, Feb. 3, 1891

nc nidplt sluD ifitt at
| the residence of Mr.. and Mrs. q. K. Martin.
| Although the day was stormy there were
only two families absent. There were quite
| a number of invited guests present, and
among the rest was the genial vice president
of the Burton club and his estimabe wife.
| Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel Lewis; also Mr. and
| Mrs. III. johnson and daughter Mr.. and
| Mrs. King, MIR. and Mrs. Il. Bartlett and
| mother and others.
Order was called at IL A. NJ. At the con-
| clusOn of the usual preliminary exercises,
the club proceeded to the business of elect
| ing officers for the ensuing six months. which
resulted as follows President, q. NJ Rey-
nOlds vice president, f. T.. Sheldon; Sec'y,
g. f. Martin; treasurer. j A. Armstrong.
| (MOdesty fOrbids my naming the reporter
Committee on music and standing committee
| retained for second term. After a song by
| the quartette came adjournment for dinner.
| Meeting again called to order at 80 p. IN.
| After listening to a song by the Maple River
quartette land. by the way, we are especial
| ly favored in this respect, there being two
| quartettes present who gracOusy responded
| to many calls for muSic), the topic assigned
| the ladies, viz: prose and Poetry of House
keeping" was presented in an essay by Mrs.
II. A. Ellis, and followed by Mrs. j. D.
Purdy in like manner.
Mrs. Ellis thought the prose of farm
housekeeping was the performance of the
same under difficulties-such as sickness,
and being pecuniarily unable to procure
necessary help, and the utensils. appurte-
nances and those little requisites which go
so far toward making housekeeping an agree
able occupation. citing few instances from
personal experience and observation to sub
stantiate her theory. The poetry, she
thought, consisted i'm great measure i'm be-
ing cOntented and satisfied with our position,
and having and enjoying our friends. and
looking on the bright side.
Mrs. Purdy's essay was well rendered and
warmly applauded. She took the position
that housework might usually he so managed
as to become a pleasure, instead of being
considered (as it too often isl i'm the light of
drudgery, or in other words, the dryt st kind
of prose.
1t was suggested by one of the essayists
that housekeeping was the highest of the
arts. This question being raised, it was found
to be the sentiment of the ladies present that
good housekeeping was one of the highest
branches of art; and it was also decided that
there was more poetry than prose i'm farm
housekeeping.
The topic for discussion by the gentlemen,
''Shall we de-horn our cattle?" was present.
ed by Mr.. Theron GLADDEN., who expressed
himself decidedly against the practice, ex-
cept in the case of very vicious animal,
and even i'm case of this kind, when an
animal became vicious enough to endanger
human life, it was better in the speakers
mind, this being the only alternative. to dis
pose of the animal for beef, or something of
that kind, than to practice de-hOrning. Mr..
G.. presented extracts from articles written
for the agricultural press, by different stock
nxx, hra oil Of hi.
bear him out i'm his assertions and belief
that de-horning was both cruel and uncalled
for. Mr.. King, a visiting member, being
called upon for an opinion, said he had de-
horned about 40 head of cattle the past year
for himself and others, and judging from his
observation and experience he thinks the
advantages to be gained by the practice will
greatly Overbalance all that can be said
against it. He said If an animal was properly
operated upon it would suffer but little pain
and the wound would soon heal up. In
most cases the animal would eat food offered
him five minutes after the operation was
performed, and if it was mich COW, she
would not shrink in her milk at the next
milking. Upon vote being taken as to
whether it should be horns or no horns, the
horns had 1t by quite majority, the visiting
members voting with us.
government irrigate arid lands?" was intro
duced by Mr. ID. C. Cooper, followed by Mr.
o. Z. Waugh. Mr.. Cooper gave a descrip-
ton of the lands in question and the sur
country with some statistics as to
the probable cost, ETC., and finally expressed
himself as decidedly opposed to the govern
ment appropriating any money for the pur-
pose as above quoted. Mr.. Waugh said he
couldn't see the necessity, as yet, of the gov
eminent mourning the expense of bringing |
those barrens into cultivation.
Mr.. L. j. Cook thought this was question |
that might possess two sides at least, and |
said we were often inclined to want class |
legislation, or legislation looking to our own |
private interests; and although this rriga- |
ton scheme might clash with his interests, |
il might possibly be a benefit in some re-
spects.
Mr., F. +. Sheldon advanced some strong |
arguments against the proposed movement |
looking to the irrigation of those great west
ern deserts, and thought the government |
might better appropriate something for the |
purpose of helping to reclaim the thousands |
of abandoned farms in the eastern and New |
England states. What we need, in his Opn- |
ion, is not more acres to cultivate, but less |
acres and better cultivation of the same.
The standing committee reported the fol- |
lowing topics for discussion at the February |
meeting:
Can poultry raising be engaged in with |
any amount of profit by the average farmers |
wife, who possesses only the usual limited |
cOiiveniences for carrying on such business?" |
to be presented by Mrs. f. N. Waugh and |
Mrs. s. X. Cook.
Seeding down to grass" by p. b. Rey- |
nolds and ii. A. Ellis.
''For fuel, which? Wood or coal?" by |
VIM. Lewis.
Club adjourned 10 meet with Mr.. and Mrs. |
j. A. Armstrong, at their residence, Feb. 26. |
Ii. $. STITT.