WOMEN AND HORTICULTURE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 286, 27 August 1908, Page 5

WOMEN AND HORTICULTURE.

Some short time ago-a.most attractivo exhibition of farm and garden produco, held under the auspices of ,tho Women's Agricultural and Horticultural International Union, took placo .in the lloyal Botanic.Gardens at Homo. Tho object was to show what had already been accomplished in this field by women, and also to secure a wider market for tho union's procedure. One of tho largest exhibitors was tho Horticultural Collego, Stanley, which lias been eminently successful in training women in the theory and practice of horticulture and floriculturo; Tho fruit, vegetables, and preserves shown by this institution were specially admired. So. also were the products of tho Women's Gardening Association. A very attractivo' exhibit was a collection of cut ilowers, and another of swcot peas, shown by Miss Hilda Robinson, head gardener at Beach House, Lyndhurst. Sorno really beautiful designs for a country garden were also sent in by competitors, and judging from this exhibition women aro becoming a force to be reckoned with in agriculture and horticulture. Among the many scliomes put forward in England to find employment for women who aro anxious to work is a proposal placed beforo tho Women's Industrial Council by Mrs. Tennant, to establish farm colonies where women should be trained for country occupations. It had been proved that tho success of small holdings largely depended upon the help rendered by women and children, and sho believed that if women wero taught how to grow vegetables and fruit, tho bottling of . fruit, poultry-rearing, bee-keeping, and laundry work, much could bo, done in restoring tho population to the land. Mrs. Tennnnt was careful to explain that she regardod farm colonies as training schools, not as institutions for the permanent employment of- men or women. In this movement women are not in reality entering on a new sphero; tho educated woman is merely returning under new circumstances to work which in former,ages fell to her as a matter of course. The dairymaid, or, dayo, was a very important', functionary'in the medieval manor, and many_ sociologists hold now. that it was the woman in tho matriarchal age who first domesticated the wild wheat or barley.'

But there are certain disadvantages in agriculture as a profession for women. It often involves considerable loneliness, though whether thoy would haro time to realise that loneliness is open to doubt. It might assail them at night, but then, after a long, hard day in the open air, there is nothing so good as one's bed. It is surprising, when one thinks of the prico that is paid for flowers in Wellington, that so few people have gono in for extensivo flower-growing, and surely there must be a profitable field awaiting an onterprising woman who has the requisite knowledge. For tho true garden lover nothing could offer more happiness—tho only, cross being the. parting with her treasures, grown with such prido and care.