*]
have no desire to see it in reality; in [***]
they bring the brightest and best thought, [***]
historic, and romantic to our hearth and home; furnishing food for the
youthful minds, leaving no room for evil or discontented thoughts to
enter. Then I say to every farmer who has children, get the magazines
for them, they will save you a mountain of trouble.

Then to balance things have one or two spicy news papers, which picture
in horrid colors the blackest side of human life. This is necessary to
guard the young against the riff-raff of humanity, such as tramps,
sharpers, sewing machine and book agents, the lightning rod man, and a
dozen other sharp swindlers that prey on the farmer and his family for
an existence. The Sanitary Journal treats of health, purity, and
cleanliness, and ought to be read and studied by all. Ah, I had almost
forgotten THE PRAIRIE FARMER Map which hangs by the door. What can I say
about it? that it is a handsome ornament for a living room or library?
yes, but that is not all, it is useful. When it arrived I took it to the
railroad office and compared it with the best map they had, also with a
map made by the U.S. land office. I came away satisfied that it was
reliable; it ought to be in the home of every farmer in this great
country of ours, so that their children can learn and know what a grand
heritage they have got. There is no excuse for being without it, as a
few pounds of butter or dozens of eggs will procure it and a paper that
will gladden the hearts of both old and young.

ALEX ROSS.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

LET US BE SOCIABLE.

A happy new year to all of the readers of THE PRAIRIE FARMER, and may
your labors of 1884 be crowned with success. Mr. Granger, what are you
doing these long winter evenings? Can't you find time to write a few
lines to the readers of THE PRAIRIE FARMER? You can send a little report
from your county, at least. Come, let us be a little more sociable and
talk more to each other through the columns of our paper. We can learn
something by reading each other's views on different subjects. In my
next I shall try and tell some of the careless fellows how to run a farm
to make it pay. If I fail to give a little light on the subject perhaps
some one else will try it. We are having what you might call winter,
now. Snow is about six inches deep, but the weather is not very cold.
The thermometer has not been below zero but once. Nearly all of the corn
is gat