JOYS OF HORTICULTURE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2211, 25 July 1914, Page 13

JOYS OF HORTICULTURE

PROFESSION FOR' WOMEN. A movement is afoot for extending and improving agricultural education for men. (states an article iri the "Australasian ).. This makes it a good op- . portunity for pressing the claims of horticulture as a means of livelihood for women of education and industry. There should now be a college set aside exclusively for .the training of women along these healthful and _ useful lines of work, and it is certain that once woman's attention is .called to the attractions and possibilities of 'horticulture as a profession for her, there will be no lack of scholars at such a college. It is not enough for a country to ac- ' quiesee in the fact that its women, like its men, must be wage-earners For the sake of unborn generations, a nation should see that its women have open to them chances of work which will not be unsatisfying and enervating—as are so many city occupations—but ohances of occupations which will teach thorn self- : reliance and initiative, and which will develop.their finest qualities mentally, ; morally; : and physically. It may be just-, ly claimed that the training received in a horticultural college will foster and develop a sense of motherhood. 'Women following this work will spend their lives in the sunshine, tending the young in'plant and animal life,' and will learn a self-reliance born of solving the problem of wresting 'from the earth her treasures of productive wealth. . Tho' Value of Horticulture. City work tends to exhaust a woman's forces, whilst giving no commensurate, return ; - for what Use can she make in after life of the knowedge acquired .in an office, whereas that gained in a study of horticuture and kindred subjects will be of practical value to her all her life. If a woman marries, she can a flower or vegetable grower, a_ poultry raiser, or a Beekeeper,' and even put the rudimentary carpentry, learnt to profitable use in her ; own home. In other words, it. might almost be said ; that this work is towards home-making, city work away from it: To quote from an article advocating farm training for women, which appeared.in an issue of an American magazine:—"The specially .trained farmer, if he is to make his lifo and. work needs a specially; trained wife; he needs working beside' him a woman who incapable of takingan enthusiastic and intelligent part in .his work.- The farmer of- the present day needs to bo a man. of education.' It is scientific agriculture which will bring the greatest economic results, and. for this reason he.will need a wife, who has an. intelligent understanding of farming" methods." Many a farmer has' been forced to give up because his wife has had.no understanding of, or sympathy with, hie'work, While, on the : other hand, many a farmer has metaphorically speaking, taken his hat off to ..the .woman who has stood beside him on the farm,, and helped him with her sympathy;and knowledge.to win through. Independence. . ... If a woman does not marry, she has at her command knowledge which will make her an independent worker, and aprpducer, which is of greater national' importance. She is not dependent on the-demand and supply regarding: labour, but on the demand and supply regarding food.' It is some 20 years ago that women first were admitted to a horticultural college for-practical training. Before that time there had been eingle instances of remarkable women, who, without; a school education in garden -craft, had done valuable research work for horticulture. Amongst these were Mrs. Ornierod, Miss Gertrude Jeckyll, Hon.'-,. Mrs/ Boyle, Hon: Mrs. Etelyn Cecil, and 1 Miss White, of the Alexandra College, Dub; lin. In this group, L, of;' pioneers l may also be included La'dy : 'Araila"uhV-;liady FitU' mouthy and the late' . Duchess of Leinster. These ladies, although called amateurs, ' brought. refinement and. good taste to bear upon" colour and design, two important factors in the'ereatioriof ornamental gar.dens; , There are many women in Great Britain who are directing market gardens and earning a living on the land. French, German, and American ladies unite, with' their English sisters in enthusiasm for tho profession., ■■-. ' The chief horticultural colleges ' for women are at Swanley,Kent;. Studley Castle, ), Warwickshire; Pennsylvania School at Ambler, Pa.; and at Lowthorpe School,. Groton, Massachusetts, U.S.A. In the prospectus of an American college of landscape gardening one reads of graduates in the profession of landscape architecture at Rhode Island,' New' York, and also in California. -.' -What France is Doing. '_;, In' France a society has been formed to further the education of women in agriculture and horticulture, with the object of opening hew avenues, of employment. . This society' has some .time been.making .propaganda in this direction, and has' now established the first school for' girls,at-' 'Brie-Comte- , Bobert, near Paris; to be followed by others as the means, permit; Scholarships and prizes-are offered, and .'a low rate of membership, with the hope of attracting womeil to a career "wholesome, worthy, and sufficiently remunerative. ' Foreigners are admitted , to membership in the society, but may not act as officers.' ' . ' ' ' \ The annual report for 1913 of the Swanley Horticultural College is now l published. The college stands in 43 acres- of' freehold land. • Tbero are two acres in" flower garden,' >12 of kitchen and market garden, 25 of fruit plantation, the remainder being meadow land, etc. Tbo teaching is both theoretical and practical.' Special care is taken ' in the elementary training of each student. • No gardening occupation' is considered too menial, the irethod being that actual work accompanies, under skilled supervision, the theoretical instruction. The lectures treat of horticultural and agricultural science, botany,, entomology and such other,sciences as.bear upon the'genoral principles of . actual gardening. The gardens are bp'iii for work at 6 a.m.- ill summer and 9a.m. in winter. Thero are two courses, the full diploma course, and the certificate course. There .are' in.-students and also ont- * students!' Tlie latter pay £45 a year,. ■ Tho in-students pay from £80 to £96 a year; but there are also extra fees for poultry-keeping and dairy work. The number of students during the year 1913 was-as follows:—Spring fcim, 83; summer term. 87; autumn term, 70. The applications from employers darinp; the same period numbered 133, vix. : Headgardeners, 27-; Echools and institutions, 17; companion gardeners, 10; undergardoners, 14; designing and advisory work, 7; temporary, and jobbing gardeners,,'l4; dairy. poultry, and beekeeping, 11; market gardening, 18; and to posts in tlie colonies, Hi. "Wo are nearer God';; heart in a garden Than anywhere--- else upon earth." . '-, ; ■ SUPEKFLUtfuS HAIR. Mrs. Hull en, Boulcott Street, has received tho following testimonial, which has been abbreviated:—"l have much pleasure in recommending your'Ttusma' for the removal of superfluous hair. Having been treated; per medium of electrolysis, 1 also .depilatories, at great .expense, without receiving any relief, 1 am gratefully- thankful to you for your treatment-of my case. Since undergoing your treatment I am pleased to state that not only has your remedy removed all traces of suparfluous hair, but in addition has improved the complexion wonderfully. (Signed) Joan Lang." Original copy of above can be seen at my addres3, Mrs. .Hullen, Boulcott Street.