---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Langlois, D. R.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 17
number: 4
published: 1914-02
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'D. R. Langlois, "A Practical Demonstration," *Improvement Era* 17, no. 4 (February 1914): 383–384.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1704unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera1704unse
start_page: 383
end_page: 384
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-02)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1704unse
  publication_year: 1914
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# A Practical Demonstration

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CONDITIONS OF SUCCESS 383
Though we have exceptions to the rule, as in the cases of
Dickens and Milton, may we not say that a man must possess good
health to be successful in this strenuous day ?
Sleep. Sleep is the time of complete rest for the body. It
is a fundamental of health. From seven to nine hours is required.
Youth needs more than old age. The hours for sleep should be
regular and should begin as much before midnight as one can
arrange. Sleep should be taken in an abundance of fresh air.
Sleeping porches are recommended. In their absence, raise the
windows high in your bed rooms. In this connection it is a satisfaction to note a trend in modern residence architecture toward the
use of sleeping porches, and sleeping rooms each one of which is
provided with several windows, usually of the casement style, so
as to take advantage of the full window space for fresh air.
Food. Good food is as essential to health as enough sleep. The
plain, wholesome sort is best fitted to nourish the body. Variety
is good. Highly seasoned foods and pastries should be used only
in moderation. In excess, they cause indigestion and disorder.
All food should be well prepared and palatable. It must be agreeable to the taste. Appetite is essential to good digestion. A carefree mind at meal time is also necessary. Food should be
thoroughly masticated. Meals ought to be regular, and over-eating should be avoided. Strenuous exercise immediately following
a meal is harmful. Fresh, pure water taken freely will assist in
keeping the body well. Care should be taken, however, not to
use water at meal times to wash down food, until such time at
least as the food is thoroughly masticated.
(to be continued)
A Practical Demonstration
BY D. R. LANGLOIS
[The following illustration of practical farm work for boys was
submitted to the Era on request of Field Secretary Oscar A. Kirkham,
by Mr. Langlois. It shows what boys can do when they have a little
capital, patience, energy, and willingness to work. — Editors.]
My two boys, Percy and Vernon, ages nine and eleven, did
the following work during the past summer :
They rented three acres of ground just one mile from home,

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3X4
IMPROVEMENT ERA
for which they paid $45; this included the preparing of the
ground for seeding. Then they hired
a man to manure the land, paying him
$.12 for that, and $7.50 for seeding and
planting. This made a total outlay of
$64'. 50 before they could see any results in the way of growing plants. It
was hard to persuade the boys to undertake such an obligation with so
much uncertainty, as they thought, before them. It was a very dry spring,
and not a seed came up until after our
first rain, which was about the first of
June. The boys were getting very
much discouraged when the weather
stayed so dry and not a plant was coming up. But a remark make by President Jack at our stake conference in
May dispelled all their anxiety in that
regard. It was a very valuable lesson
in helping us to establish faith in our
authorities. In talking to the people
on this occasion President Jack told
them to go ahead and plant their crops,
regardless of the fact that there was
no moisture in the ground to bring them up, and look to the Lord
for the increase, for the rains would come and their crops would
mature. The boys had sufficient faith to believe that it would be
true, and it was, for the rains began in about two or three weeks
and there was an abundance. This was a valuable lesson for
them.
After the beets began to grow they needed no more encouragement ; the growing plants were an inspiration, and the educational value they received was worth several times the monetary
value. The following is a record as they kept it :
Check for beets $160.00 Rent for ground $ 45.00
PERCY LANGLOIS, Age 11
VERNON LANGLOIS, Age <
'ash for potatoes 45.00
Manuring 12 00
Seed and planting 7.50
Cultivating beets 4.50
Help topping beets 2.40
Plowing beets up 5.50
Hauling beets to railroad. 22.50
Total received $205.00 Total paid $ 99.40
Net profit to the boys, $105.60. They did about forty days'
work themselves. Of course, I directed them in their work, but
they did it all except what is listed above.
OAKLEY, IDAHO