Mattresses

 

It was during the depression when I remember helping Mom and Dad make mattresses out of corn husks. The government county Agent came out to the farm with a pamphlet with the instructions for this project.

The government was going to furnish the striped ticking (cotton covering). So Mom got busy and made the bed size cotton envelope to fill with the husks.

Dad had been saving the husks as he picked the corn, so they would have enough to fill a couple of the envelopes. Dad put up the saw horses in the yard and used the usual door to work on. We stuffed the husks into the ticking until we were sure it was tight, but to make sure, we tested them by sitting on them or letting baby Alice jump on them.

When we were all finished, we took the mattresses into the bedroom and put them on the kids beds. I don't remember how comfortable they were, but I know Mom and Dad complained about the amount of work it took for nothing. They were not very pleased with the corn husk mattresses

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