VOL. LIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., JUNE 10, 1899.
NO. 23
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A NICE FARMERS' PICNIO.
How Make it Lively and Restful?
1st Premium.—"A change is always a rest,"
they say, and so a picnic being a change from
the routine of daily life cannot fail to be a
rest in a certain way. In the first place I would
like to suggest that some one canvas the neighborhood, and learn just what each one will
prepare for the lunch, in this way we may
be certain of having a change, not all cake
and pie. The woman who prides herself on
rolls or biscuit may make her specialty, etc.
It is a tact to be deplored that many women
in getting ready for a picnic nearly kill themselves beforehand to bake up a great deal and
that better than Mrs. Thug—and—So. This is
a mistake, we take our pleasures too hard, we
should take them easily and aim to make the
day a day of rest and enjoyment. Bake an
abundance, in the aggregate, but each one
prepare but her quota of the whole. There are
few things more acceptable than ham sandwiches, for these bread twenty-four hours old
should be used, spread before cutting and then
cut' as thin as it well can be, have ready the
boiled hamor meat, and have this minced
fine, don't make the mistake of putting it in
slices, if you must have it sliced then avoid
sandwiches. Oold chicken, pressed or fried
and laid upon brown paper after taking from
the skillet, to drain off every particle of fat, is
nice. Salads and baked beans. Avoid smeary
things. Cake and lemonade, coffee for those
who want a hot drink, with ice cream made
of cream not milk if convenient, all come in
good. The ice cream will be all the better after standing some hours, if carefully covered
with chipped ice, and then packed in newspapers about the freezer. It seems strange
but really there are few who want serious
talking at a picnic, music by a band if possible will prove exhilarating, or music made by
participants in the picnic is a good feature,
but we can have all these things at home or
other places, the picnic should be a time of
freedom, to range the woods ln search of wild
flowers or ferns, to Bit beside a rippling brook
and talk quietly with a congenial companion,
a mingling and commingling of friends and
friendly intercourse will prove more satisfactory than an elaborate program with fluent
speakers at a picnic. We want lectures, we
want agricultural discussions, we want to hear
the woman suffragist, and the temperance
talk, but we don't want lt to infringe upon our
freedom at a farmers' picnic. My idea is
plenty of hammocks, plenty of swings, plenty
of room to wander about and enjoy one's self
In one's own sweet way, for one whole day,and
then rested and invigorated, Instead of cross
and tired to seek the home nest and feel that
it Is the bast place on earth, feel that life is
worth living, and that "right where we are.
Feel that our inters_ourse with our friends has
opened our hearts and broadened our lives,
stirred up the sweet springs of sympathy and
brotherly kindness, feel that this coming near
to Naturer's heart ln the temples made by
God not man, has brought us into holier kin-
"hlp with him who walked the lowly paths of
life ln cheerfulness and love. Life holds much,
hut lt should never hold so much else, that we
cannot spare time for our friends, and recreation, really re-creation, being made and created anew. There is nothing like mingling
with others to bring out tho best there is In
U", and nothing like the trouble of others to
make us forget our own. R. S. M.
2d Premium.—Since 1892 the farmers of
Union county have each year held a grand
out-door picnic on the first Saturday in September. From the first these meetings have
°eei1 greatly appreciated by the farming com
munity as evidenced by ihe attendance and
interest in the programs. Soon after the organization of the Farmer's Institute in our
county, we organized an "agricultural and
horticultural society" with a membership fee
of 25 cents per year. More than a hundred
farmers and their wives signed the constitution. This guaranteed a fund to begin our
summer meetings. The dates of our meetings are announced months before hand.
Our programs are made up of addresses by
farmers, or those directly interested in farming, recitations, essay, contests, and the best
music, vocal and instrumental, that our
means can secure. As an additional attraction we offer a number of premiums for
grains, fruits and vegetables, and household
comforts and luxuries. Our meetings are
held in a grove as near the center of the
county as possible, 'the chairman and other
officers of the winter institute have charge of
the eummer meeting. The work is divided
among several committees, so that no one
is overworked. Our organization as a soci.
ety enables us to draw the license fees of
shows, which amounts to several dollars per
year. Refreshment stand privileges add several dollars per year. In some places the business men of the town donate enough money
and offer enough in premiums to insure the
success of the meeting. Our home speakers
have never made any charge for papers, and
speakers from a distance hare seldom asked
more than traveling expenses. This year
Prof. W. C.Latta and Hon. Alexander Johnson, of Fort Wayne, have promised to make
addresses. All the addresses are popular in
character, as discussions in the open air and
in large assemblies are out of the question. A
long noon recess gives opportunity to compare notes on exhlbite, exchance experiences,
and renew and make new acquaintances. Ag
a result there is not a county In the State,
I venture to say, that has a more intelligent,
more contented, more prosperous farming
community, nor a county where so nearly all
the people are acquainted with all others. The
inspiration of such speakers as our farmer
governor, Mrs. Meredith, Mrs. W. W. Stevens,
J. J. W. Billingsley, Ooi. Husselman, J. H.
Brigham and others, has awakened a spirit of
pride in the prof ession that is sending some
of our young people to Purdue every year and
checking the mad rush of our boys and girls
to the towns and cities. We have always made
the meetings distinctively farmers' meetings,
although our city cousins are always invited
and welcome. We make the social part a
prominent feature. We spare no pains to
make our program one that would be a credit
to a meeting of men and women in any profession. H. F. McMahan.
Union Oo.
3d Premium.—The only recreation that a
large number of farmers take is an occasional
picnic and in order to do that they muet
work harder the day before and get up earlier
on the day in question. Afterward many of
the participants feel tempted to ask the question: "Does it pay?" The old time picnic
was anything but a day of rest. The picnic
of to-day is certainly an improvement over
those of olden times, but there ls still room
for improvement. The idea of loading down
a picnic table with every variety of dainties
that hands can prepare or baskets carry until
the table fairly groaned is simply absurd.
The writer has been to picnics where there
were cakes and pies innumerable, dougnuts,
cookies, and all manner of jellies, preserves,
pickles, etc., besides the substantial Every
one ate until he was full,—yes more than full,
and the result was no one felt like stirring the
rest of the day and all felt stupid and dull the
following day. A picnic in its best sense
meant a day of rest in the woods or by a
stream of water, commencing with nature.
The dinner though bountiful  should by no
means be the most important item of the day.
There should be an abundance of hammocks,
ruga and cushions for absolute rest and comfort. Informality should prevail and every
one should wear a simple outing costume with
strong, substantial shoes. A number of games
can be provided for those who care for them,
and those who feel disposed can have a game
of base ball or quoits. If the picnic is held
near a pretty Btream ot water a boat ride may
prove very restful as well aa enjoyable. The
children can employ themselves gathering
wild flowers, lichens, mosses, and shells or
curious stones. A unique and pleasant feature would be to have some woman who understands fortune telling by means of tea-
grounds, cards or palmiBtry tell the fortunes
of all present. This will afford no end of
amusement. Let the dinner consist of substantial rather than so many fancy dishes
and sweets, and have a competent committee
appointed beforehand to make the arrangements and see what the different ones are to
furnish. Chicken pie which has been baked
at homo and only requires warming is most
appetizing for a picnic- Creamed potatoes
which can be easily warmed are delicious for
a picnic. Baked or scalloped corn are favorite picnic dishes, cabbage salad, salad eggs,
sour pickles, sandwiches with either meat filling, lettuce, celery or cress are all suitable for
picnics. One kind of cake or two at the
most are ample for a picnic. Ooffee can be
easily made ln the woods. Lemon juice
sweetened already for lemonade, or grape
juice can be taken in bottles to quench thirst.
It is much more sensible to take wooden plates
and Japanese napkins which can be thrown
away afterward. Use large, flat paeteboard
boxes Instead of baskets for storing away the
edibles and tie them with heavy cord. Theeo
will slip under carriage seats better than baskets. A pail for water, drinking cups of
granite ware or tin and a large coffee-pot will
be needed. 0. A. J.
The first thing necessary for the success of
any picnic is plenty of shade and pure water-
If possible, it should be held in a grove in
which there ie plenty of running water. If
thia is not possible sufficient good water for
the crowd must be furnished by hauling. The
next thing to arrange is a good program. It
should not ba too long as plenty of time
must be allowed for general conversation.
Two hours in the morning and the same
length of time in the evening is sufficient.
There must be plenty of music both vocal and
instrumental. A good band is an absolute necessity. It may be either brass or string, or
both, which ia better. Ag to the nature of the
exercises, I would give the morning to talks
by the old folks, interspersed with songs by
the young people and music by the bands.
Some one is generally willing to sing somo of
the old time songs, which may be added as
another interesting feature. The evening
program should be rendered entirely by tho
young folks. It ahould consist of recitations,
essays, orations and drills by the little tots.
If it could be managed so as not to create
ill feeling, prizes should be awarded to the
best contestants. This ia necessary to bring
out the best talent. A few stands ehould be
allowed on the grounds, but they muBt be
placed far enough away so aB not to interrupt
tho exercises. Every one would return home
feeling rested and Invigorated ready to attend
another in a year or sooner if opportunity allowed. E. E. Ogujs.
Eminence.
gathering some kind of entertainment is
good, as it affords a place for thoee so in.
dined to go. It takes the quiet people out of
the crowd and makes them feel at home.
The Marlon Oounty Horticultural Society enjoys a nice picnic every sumner In the
shapo of a strawberry meeting. They pay a
premium on the best exhibit of strawberries,
currants; cherries, gooseberries and flowers.
Their premiums amount to over 22 dollars.
They have a literary program. Laet Saturday it was "plant root development" and
"special reports of committees" on "ornithology," "entomology" and "home interests."
This takes an hour or two out of the day and
leaves lots of time to talk. It also suggests
some thing to talk about. The society usually
meets at a private dwelling where are found
all conveniences and spends some choice time
in walking over the premises and talking of
the fruits and flowers. This meeting has the
merit of being away from home, in comfortable quarters with a variety of entertainment,
and tbe whole instructive. It does not bar social pleasures at all.
This may be objected to on account of expense. But ln Union county, Mr. McMahan
and others took the advantage of the State
law allowing a community to tax traveling
ehowB and made that a basis of a fund. Then
they organized a farmer's club that pay a
quarter m»mberahlp fee. Altogether they
have quite a collection and can make a most
Interesting success of most any program.
I speak at some length of thla plan because
popular picnics with no system are often a
bore, and end in no definite work being done.
Some one says "we don't want definite work."
"The very object is to get away from work,"
and my wife juet now Btepped in and said
"Ed for pities sake don't fix up a picnic with
a program." At tha same time she never
comes home from a promiscuous picnic without being half dead.
One great trouble with these popular crowds
le that there are not enough resting places.
Peoplo accustomed to soft chairs sit on any
old stump or root or on the ground which is
too low or too hard. Why ahould we expect
to rest on a board without any back and flat
on mother earth, why not use lt at home?
Every picnic ground ought to bo furnished
with Eeata, hammocks and lazy places. Also
plenty of ehade.
Where practical the niceet of all is to
let a few families take tents out along a
river couree and stay a few days. They can
nap or fieh or romp or swing, and it ie not all
rushed into one day. My wife and I are aiming to accept an invitation to go in'a wagon
to Corydon and join some friends and visit
Wyandotte cave. Who would like to join us,
eay the last of Aqgust? Each company would
be independent and in no way burdensome to
others. We expect to go in a covered wagon
and take our time and leleure. This too, like
the horticultural meeting mentioned above,
has the advantage of being instructive and of
having leisure. I am ashamed to have never
seen ao fine a thing ae Wyandotte, right here
in our own State.        '
B_.VI_.W.
There are two kinds of picnics that I like.
One la when the company ie small and composed of a few very congenial families.
The other is a regular old settler's meeting
where you go at random and take your chances of.meeting congenial people.   At a large
No. 171, June 17.—Experience ln sowing rye,
beans, clover, or other feed crops ln corn.
No. 172, June 24.—How best clean rooms In
daily housework, floors, furniture, brass, pictures and the like.
No. 173, July 1.—The effect of the policy of
political expansion on American agricultural
ntereets.
Premiums of $1, 75 centa and 50 cents will be
given to let, 2d and 3d beet articles each week.
Let copy be as practicable as possible and forwarded 10 days before publication to
Oarmel. E. H. Coixiss.
In some parts of Russia the only food for
the people consists at present in acorns, leaves
and the soft bark of trees.