8. If funds are needed they may be obtained by means of entertainments, by subscriptions or by club dues. When public sentiment is properly educated individual effort can be largely relied upon to secure these improvements.

9. Placards for use in schools embodying the matter given on the last page of this circular letter have been printed and will be sent to any address upon application to the chairman of the committee. They should be posted in school buildings, the consent of the superintendent or other officers in charge being, of course, first secured.

10. We call attention to the forestry resolutions passed at the October meeting of the federation to be found on the fourth page of this letter. The committee would suggest that once each year the * different clubs devote one meeting to the discussion of the question, "What can we do to beautify our town?"

MISS MARGARET J. EVANS, State President Federated Clubs.

Town and Village Improvement Committee.-Mrs. Robert L. Gale, Chairman, St. Cloud, Minn.; Mrs. O. N. Ohlberg, Albert Lea, Minn.; Mrs. Louise F. Stone, Morris, Minn.; Mrs. L. P. Blair, 4228 Park Boulevard, Minneapolis, Minn.

Do. Make your yard and street in front as clean and pretty as you

can.

Plant or help plant shade trees.

Cultivate as many flowers as possible.

Burn or bury all tin cans and other rubbish.

Pick up and destroy all loose paper, small branches, and similar things.

Dig up and burn unsightly and harmful weeds.

Pile wood neatly, dispose of all ash heaps, and keep a tidy back yard.

DON'T.- Don't throw upon the sidewalk or into the street, banana or orange skine, watermelon rinds, nut shells or anything else. Don't scatter pieces of paper on the street.

Don't mark sidewalks or buildings.

Don't injure young shade trees by bending, cutting or shaking. Don't spit on sidewalks or floors.

FORESTRY.

WHEREAS, The meeting of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, at Louisville, May 29, 1896, adopted the following resolution: "Resolved, That as General Federation of Women's Clubs and as individuals, as far as possible we pledge ourselves to take up the study of forest conditions and resources, and to further the highest interests of our several states in these respects;" and

WHEREAS, The natural wealth of the state of Minnesota consists largely of forests, the protection and improved management of which, as well as the reforesting of denuded waste lands, is a question of growing interest and importance, therefore,

Resolved, That the study and discussion of economic forestry in this state should be taken up and generally encouraged, and that a committee, with power to act, be appointed to carry this resolution into effect.

TOWN, VILLAGE AND COUNTRY IMPROVEMENT.

MRS. ANNA B. underwooD, SEC'Y, 1899, LAKE CITY.

There is a movement abroad in the land, with which it behooves us to fall into line, not only because of its own worth but because the Minnesota State Horticultural Society is naturally qualified to be of great service to it by virtue of its long experience. This improvement, if I am not mistaken, was inugurated in Minnesota by the State Federation of Women's Clubs. The federation has accomplished great results through its systematic efforts, especially with those questions in which women are most interested. Annually they are drawn together to talk over the work of the past year and to form plans for the future. So far their attention has been mainly directed toward the educational features of reform, not alone considering courses of study to be pursued in the school room but weighing carefully the results of school-life as pertaining to and influencing the future manhood and womanhood of the children. All realize that something is lacking in the discipline that is brought to bear upon child-life. Perhaps it is the fault of birth, of acquired surroundings or imperfect instruction in the school room. Whatever it is, it must be brought to light, and a remedy found and applied. Men and women in all conditions in life are striving to solve the problem of unrest that seems to bid defiance to all law and order. Many are the plans advanced and tried for regulating the various evils, and when one part of our world seems to be well regulated and in good running order, lo! our hearts are torn over the miseries exhibited in another part.

The club women of Minnesota are banded together to guard and preserve the essential requisites for true home-making. Their homes may be all that heart could desire, but they know that there are many in which inharmony with its attendant miseries reign supreme. They have assumed the task of tracing to its source the cause of unhappy conditions of home, town, village and country life, to be followed up by strenuous efforts to establish a new order of things. Here is a feature of their educational work: to gain an entrance into these homes, and by instruction, accompanied by coercion if necessary, bring the occupants into the folds of right thinking and right living. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Yes, in so far as being responsible for his unfortunate condition is concerned. and responsibility does not cease until every home is brought up to the highest standard possible.

Discontent in the smaller towns, villages and country, gives rise to a general exodus to the larger cities, without conditions being changed for the better. We have heard this aphorism for years, "Make the home pleasant and attractive, and the children will love it and be loth to leave it." Let us change the words and have it read this way: "Make the town, village and country beautiful, and the inhabitants will love them and be loth to leave them." It is as true as the other.

Acknowledging this fact, the constitution of the State Federation of Women's Clubs provides for a standing committee, known as the Town and Village Improvement Committee, the object of which is

to study into the needs of towns and villages, to arouse and encourage general interest in the work of improvement, and to suggest simple, practical methods for beginning the work.

The cities are planning constantly to make their surroundings more beautiful, thereby involving the expenditure of vast sums of money. They are awaking to the fact that generous park systems are essential to give them prestige with the great traveling public, to say nothing of administering to the pleasure and comfort of the residents. These days record a kindly rivalry between them to see which shall have the greatest number of acres of parks per capita. We in the outlying country may admire the energy that brings this about, but at the same time we should be encouraged to emulate it as far as possible. The smaller towns and villages need to be aroused to action, to realize the needs and possibilities of their own surroundings. First of all, they should rid themselves of unsightly objects, unwholesome places; weeds should be kept down on vacant lots and unused streets; all tumble-down fences should be straightened up or taken away; dilapidated buildings removed. It is a mistaken idea that we are responsible for our own yards only. If we through education and other advantages are fitted to keep home grounds in perfect order, it is only part of our duty to do so. The balance of our duty requires us to help others to reach the same standard. Of course, a slovenly kept yard cannot be entered and put to order, but the streets, which are the common property of all the grounds around all public buildings, the buildings themselves, can be operated upon by arousing public sentiment, and very soon the owners of all unkempt, unpleasant looking places will fall into line and keep step in the march of improvement, if only through self-interest in the value of property.

All appreciate the value of little things as influencing the general welfare, for good or ill. "Tall oaks from little acorns grow." The tall oak if scraggly, gnarled and twisted out of shape is a difficult subject to model; but the tiny acorn, from the time it puts forth its first leaves above the ground is susceptible to any influence that may be brought to bear upon it. This is the idea to work upon as applied to the higher order of life in man. If a child is taught to be cleanly and orderly, thoughtful and considerate of the comfort of others, the habit formed will follow him through life and will manifest itself throughout the larger avenues of experience.

This thought evidently influenced the Town and Village Improvement Committee to put forth the card of "Do's and Don'ts." A child taught to observe its requirements will form habits that will later lead him to take a personal interest in all matters pertaining to his own home, that it shall be orderly and pretty; to his own street, that it shall be as fine if not the finest of any; in fact, he will use every effort that his own village, his own town or his own part of the county, throughout its length and breadth, shall be as beautiful and attractive as it is possible to make it.

If one child alone is educated to adhere to these suggestions, it is well. One home will be made happy. But if all the children of a community, generation after generation, are similarly brought up, what a paradise on earth we would have! Is it not well worth work

ing for? Thinking women will appreciate the value of such a beginning; it is simply an opening wedge to more that is to follow. The Woman's Auxiliary, offering this as an instance of one feature of the work to start with, wishes to urge the formation of improvement leagues in every town, village and farming community in the state. Let us note the present condition of such. It seems to be one of general indifference to surroundings. Each man's yard or farm is his castle-figuratively speaking-and he does as he is inclined with it. He can place his house even with the street, thus shutting off the view of an artistic neighbor who wants a well kept lawn in front of his home.

The owner of the next lot will have a space in front, perhaps, but will have it so full of trees and shrubs that hardly a glimpse of heaven's blue can be seen. As for the ground in the rear of the buildings: well, in one-half of the yards, it is the receptacle for rubbish of all grades and descriptions, from chips to a conglomeration of boxes, barrels, tin cans, washboilers, old stoves, etc., making a pile so high that it looks over with an exultant air into the dainty orderliness of the neighboring yard, as if to say,-"You can't get rid of me."

The beautifying of individual homes is laudable and has its influence, encouraging others to like effort; but there are many, who, because they cannot do just as their more wealthy neighbors have done, feel that there is no use in making an effort to better their surroundings, erroneously thinking that it is the spacious, elegant house that is the essential and attractive feature of the home.

Have you ever stopped to think how monotonous and unattractive a city would be if all the houses were equal in size, beauty, etc.? How intense and frequent would be the poetic sighs for “a vineembowered log cabin," "a lodge in some vast wilderness," and so on! It is variety that is attractive and satisfying. A tiny home, perfect in all its appointments, snuggling cozily under beautiful vines, a well kept lawn, all parts of the grounds trim and neat, is a sweet picture to lay away in the memory.

Every town and village should have a park commission, to whom would be entrusted the care and management of all the public grounds, streets, alleys, roadways, etc. The members should be selected for their interest in the work and fitness for the position. They should have an ideal plat of land under their charge, and should then educate the residents to an appreciation of the necessity of working to such a plan. Such a commission should be qualfied to answer such inquiries as: what to plant? how to plant? where to plant? Without doubt the greater part of the land-owners would be only too glad to avail themselves of such a service, having neither time nor ability to study out for themselves the best plan of beautifying their lots. Least of all would they stop to consider whether their plan would harmonize with the other lots in the block.

Such a commission, having full control of the streets, would have a harmonious whole. A street named Oak street would not be lined with soft maple, or Elm street lined with white ash. Not a tree would be planted without due consideration as to its merits for the place.

Such a commission would see that the trees were properly pruned, and having secured a fine row of trees would not allow them to come to harm through neglect or abuse.

Such a commission would use every effort to eradicate the old idea that teams need eighty feet of roadway and that nothing should limit them but the fence lines, and it would teach the people that twenty-five or thirty feet, at the most, is all that is necessary.

To quote from a most excellent paper written by Chas. M. Loring, and published in the Park and Cemetery,-" As a rule, the roadways on our residence streets are too wide, and there is not space enough given for trees and other ornamentation.

Fine effects are produced on an eighty foot street by making the roadway thirty feet wide, leaving twenty-five feet inside the curbing on each side, six feet of which, next to the lot line, is for a walk, and nineteen feet for grass and flower beds, or groups of ornamental shrubs, and shade trees planted from forty to fifty feet apart!"

Again from the same paper,-"Another plan which I have seen in an eastern city gives a park-like appearance which is very pleasing. That gives a sidewalk next to the lot line six feet in width, a planting 'space for grass and trees of six feet, two roadways eighteen feet wide and a center planting space of twenty feet, filled with grass and shrubs or grass and beds of flowers."

Does not this simple, practical plan appeal to you? Cannot the mental vision picture the outcome of such an order of things. Can not you see the peaceful content that comes from having the heartcraving for beauty satisfied, the enlarged field for work and usefulness, homes made so home-like and restful that the inmates are loth to change and, finally, a community made a fraternity through its united interest in what concerns the general welfare?

- Members of the horticultural society, you now have an inkling of what the Woman's Auxiliary is after. You have done a grand work in the past, you have a glorious future to look forward to. You have shown your strength and power in accomplishing your purpose of advancing fruit culture; you have thrown your influence for good freely throughout the state; you have ever been loyal to woman's work and interests, and to you we look for encouragement and assistance. We want every mother, wife, sister, daughter, relative and friend among you to become active members of our organization.

Will you see that they are fully informed, and urge them to make application?

WHAT IS A NO. 1 APPLE?-According to resolutions adopted by the national apple shippers' association, grade No. 1 shall be divided into two classes, A and B. The standard for Class A shall be not less than 21⁄2 inches in diameter, and shall include such varieties as Ben Davis, Baldwin, Greening and others similar in size. The standard for class B shall be not less than 214 inches in diameter, and include such varieties as Romanite, Russet, Winesap, Jonathan, Missouri Pippin, etc. No, 1 apples shall be at time of picking practically free from the action of worms, or defacement of surface, or breaking of skin; shall be hand-picked from the tree and of bright and normal color and shapely form.