The Florida agriculturist., 1906-03-28

of friendly rivalry with your neigh
Dor. Rivalry and competition are the
spice of trade and Improvement
Furnish the children some good
books and papers, suited to their
work Give them the best education
you can possibly afford, even if you
deny yourself some things you can
get along without
If you are blessed with several boys
try to find out in what direction
each ones taste for work lies. If one
takes handiIy to the carpenters tools,
get him a few If another likes
bIackSmithing. get tools for him, too;
and so on striving to help each one
to become efficient in that occupation
for which nature fits him. There
is no way in which you can better hold
the BOYS than this. You can interest
them. and they will take pride in
identifying the home: and these lit
tie things they do about the house
and farm will bind them to their
home with ties that will hold in their
memories forever.
Cultivate taste for music, vocal
and instrumental, in both boys and
girls 1t will keep the boys at home
i'm the evenings. There is nothing
nicer than for a family of children to
entertain Father and Mother, their
friends and themselves in this way.
1t will elevate morally and tend to
soften and refine their manners. Next
to your wife. dress your children as
well as your means will allow. so that
when they 90 to the city, they will
not he ashamed of their clothes, Many
are the bitter thoughts of the country
youth from this cause.
Interest the children in nature.
Show them how wonderful are Gods
creatures and works, inspiring to
higher. better thoughts.
Provide IuXuries for your family
Some one says, 1--WE can't afford it."
Do you know that you can raise more
md better than the rich man of the
city can buy? In this sunny South
country you can have your table load
ed with good things in the way of
fresh fruit and vegetables nearly the
whole year around, if you will only
plant and tend them. You can also
have plenty of fresh meat by keeping
Il small flock of good sheep or goats,
and plenty of poultry; the girls can
raise them. With a small amount of
labor you can have fine pond, well
stocked with fish
In many other ways that will sug-
geSt themselves from time to time. you
can beautify your homes and mould
your children'S characters in that
which is pure and noble, until they
grow into manhood and wOmanhOOd,
and they will regard home as the
brightest and best place on earth.
Then we can say with faith and GER
tainty. 'GOd Bless Our HOme,'' for
"GOd helps those who help them
selves" Try to set good example
before the boys. Be careful in your
habits. Make Father a model for
them to follow. They will surely fol
low in your footsteps. Teach them
to love, honor, obey and help their
mother and sisters, to be obliging to
ladies, and manly and true among
men,
In short, anything you can do for
the improvement of your home and
the betterment of your family will not
only help them. but will improve
your own nature developing nObler
manhood i'll you. And as you grow
older, you will not lack for help and
support: and in the eve of life you
can look back over your life and say
truthfully Il have done my duty by
my children, and the world is better
for my ba vino Iiva1 in If