The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-10-10
OONsULTs THE FARMERS WIVES

d
IDENTIFY of practical ideas and OF an
ingenuity and fertility of mind and
resources that ought to be effective
in the conduct of his department. He
recognizes as fact that the work of
his department must be made practic-
al and of actual service to the people
of the country, In order that 1t may
have an excuse for being. And so, al
though the department has done a
good deal of practical good to the
farmers of the United States, Secre-
tary Houston wants to extend that
usefulness says the Sal Lake Trib-
une.
The department has heretofore done
very much by way of helping the
farmers throughout the land to in
crease the efficiency of their work
| and the yield of their crops. It has
helped to get better seed, to instruct
in better methods of farming, to ex-
terminate field and orchard pests, ana
in very many directions it has taken
the lead in advanced and progress
siye agriculture.
But Secretary Houston notes that so
far the department, while doing
good deal for the farmers, has done
very little for farmers wives. Ac.
| cordingly he has obtained the address
| ses of $4,000 women. wives of farm
ers, and has addressed each Of them
personal letter, asking how the de-
partment can best serve the interest
of women whose families are engaged
in agriculture. 1t is fine, practical
idea, and it ought to advance the ues-
fulness of the department very mater
tally. If, therefore, farmers wives IN
Utah and Idaho, receive this letter
| they will know what 1t means, and
they will know that in replying to it
faithfully and promptly they will be
cooperating with $4,000 women
throughout the United States in help
ing the department of agriculture to
be of assistance in the domestic econ
omy of the farmers.
We do not know whether Secre-
tary Houston got his idea of this from
the work of the agricultural college
of Utah or not, but it looks as if he
might have done so; for that is field
In which the Agricultural college has
done excellent work in this state, and
is continuing that work to much ad-
vantage. The fact is that in very
many portions of the country, and
probably not less in Utah than else
where, it is of greater benefit to help
the farmers wives than to help the
farmers themselves For up to quite
recently the effort has been altogether
|, to help the farmer to increase crop
yields and to supply labor saving ma
chinery for his use on the farm. This
one-sided. effort left the farmers
household to toll along in the old
way, without help, without labor
saving devices, and at tremendous
waste of toll and anxiety, compared
with what might be for in spite of the
fact that there has not been much
public aid throughout the country for
the farmers wife and her domestic
economy, the ingenuity of inventors
and manufacturers has been busy and
very much can be had that will light
en- the labors of the farmers wives,
, as they are made aware of the appli-
ances that are available for their use.
There has also been much investiga-
ton and instruction in better methods
of procedure and economic effort In
tightening the toll of domestic econ,
omy on the farm. The Utah Agri-
!. cultural college was we'll at the frout
. in this work, and now the U. 8. de-
!, partment of agriculture, secondlne
that effort. or making an independ'
emf effort on its own accoutn, which.
:. ever 1t may be, will be available to
help the farmers wives throughout
the country, not only through sugges
l tons from them of what would bes
e serve in that direction, but through
efforts of the department itself tt
i bring the attention of farmers wives
). these appliances, these economic de
= vices and methods, which the offici
r ais of the department know about
2 but which in so many cases the farm
ers' wives do not know 1t is an ex
q cellent thought that Secretary Hous
a ton has acted upon in this respect
r and it can fairly be hoped that con
d spicious practical results may follow
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