For Women Folk

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11732, 23 June 1916, Page 7

For Women Folk

By "CHRYSSA."

Mr and Mrs Roderick M'Kenzio, of Jorth Otago, are visiting Christchurch And staying at the Clarendon.

Mrs Bernard Wood accompanied her mother, Lady Ward, on her return to Wellington last night.

Mr H. B. Morton, accompanied by his daughter, "Miss Norton, have arrived in Christchurch from London, cud are staying at tho Clarendon.

* * » # , *' It is interesting to know- that Lady Carmichael has been mado a Lady of Grace of tho Order of St John of Jerusalem, in recognition of her services iu India on behalf of tho military hospitals. Lord Chelmsford, now Viceroy Df India, has been appointed a Knight Df Justice of the same order.

The programme arranged for tho concert to be given in the Choral Hall to-morrow (Saturday) night, in aid of the wives and children of -the eeamen who gave up their lives in tho Jutland naval battle, promises to bo specially attractive. § Tho first part of the programmo will bo contributed by Misses ilian Wau'chop, Jean Burrows and Esme Malcolm, the Rev John Paterson and Messrs Tom Charters, Fred Bullock, M'Leod and Raynor Wliito. Tho second part -will be given by tho wellknown "Barnstormers," a costume comedy company which has given many concerts lately in aid of tho various war funds. It -will introduce several humorous specialities quit© now to Christchurch. Its 'members iricludo Missses Meg Wnuohop, Tessa Reading, Freda Whiteombe And Ida, Polo, and Messrs Roy Twyneham, Harry Gill and W. S. Wauchop. Altogether an enjoyable evening's entertainment is assured, and those who give their patronage will have tho satisfaction of knowing that thov aro assisting a. very worthy cause. *• » • * •«

" We learn simple carpentry, aa part bf the course, so that we will Wp abb to make window boxes, flats, cold frames and other articles that we need. We could even make a greenhouse, if we had to. We are taught the care and raising of poultry, we learn bee culture, and we have a course in landscape gardening. There is a course in canning and preserving, too, so that our fruit and berries can be disposed of in that way, if we should not be able to Bell them outright, when we have the gardlans of our own that we aro all looking forward to." In the cosy cottage that serves as a dormitory, there turns out to be a large class-room, where the lectures in botany, entomology, 6oils and horticultural chemistry are given. There is a staff of instructors, all from well-known universities,' and a master farmer to impart the practical everyday, process of managing fields and orchards. Special lectures are given frequently by experts in various subjects. In tho cottage ia a big, home-like living room, •where the . girla ; read, and sing and dance in. the evening. Each girl takes care of her own bedroom.

The costumes worn by these garden students are durable, appropriate and most becoming. The school colours are the woodsy ones of brown and green, and the working garb is carried out in these colours. Brown khaki or corduroy Bkirta," eight "inches from the ground &nd having two large pockets, are worn Under soft green Asmocka smocked in brown. Tho, sweaters are brown or green, and. there is a soft hat for winter and a large shade hat for summer. Heavy working gloves and boots are provided!, and a large apron with pockets goes with the outfit, All in all, you feel sure, as yon go back down the " old lime-kiln road," that tho motto of the school will be fulfilled in the life of each of its students: "So enter that daily thou mayst become more thoughtful and more learned. So.depart that daily thou mayst become more useful to thyself and to all mankind."

A war wedding of New Zealand interest took place afc Whitchurch, Middlesex, England, on May 3. The brideBroom was Archibald Kerr Arthur-Wor-son, New Zealand Medical Corps, of iWanganut; tho bride was Miss Margaret Honour Leigh-Lye, eldest daughter of tho lato Rev Arthur Leigh-Lye,-of Thurloston Rectory, Somerset, and Mrs Leigh-Lye, of Alexandra Park, London. The ceremony was performed fay the Rev Sidney Loigh-Lye, undo of the bride, assisted by the Rev Louis StievenardjV icar of Buildwas, Salop. Tho wedding took place at the South Street Wesleyan Chapel, Birmingham, England, early in May, of Lance-Cor-poral Colin M. Campbell (3rd Auckland) and Sister Irene J. Nelson, a member of the nursing staff of tho Ist Southern General Hospital in Birmingham, where the bridegroom was sent for treatment. Mr Campbell has returned to duty at Hornchurch, and Mrs Campbell continues her work in the Birmingham Hospital. * » • * »

An interesting engagement announced in tho "Gentlewoman" is that of tho Countess Nada Torby, younger daughter of the Grand Buko Michael of Russia and Countess Torby. of Ken Wood, ■and Prir.co George of Battenberg, eldest son of. Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg. Tho Countess Nada, now r.ineteen, is _ a dark-eyed, fascinating girl with a jo no sais quoi that draws all eyes to her. Sho sings, acts and dances to admiration, and has tho merry heart that wo know goes all tho day. Prince George is three-and-twenty, and a lieutenant on hoard the Now Zealand; and, liko his father, a born sailor. Tho Battenbcrgs have always been i>ersona. grata with tho "Russian Royalties, and the alliance will .he jion less pleasing to the Czar and Czarina than to our King and Queen. ***** WHERE GIRLS LEARN TO WIELD SPADE AND HOE. To go to school in a potato patch; to say ono's:lessons to a farmer: to study in an orchard and do laboratory work in a greenhouse—this is tho pleasant lot of tho modern girl who goes to a school of horticulture instead of going to college, or perhaps after going to collegeIf ever there was a vocation that seemed specially adapted to many wof.ien. gardening would at first glance V the one. From tho time of " Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How dees your garden grow?'' down to tho busy city woman who today takes her recreation by digcnn.y in her flower beds, gardens havo seemed a natural habitat for womankind and garden activities to belong to her hv right. Jn various parts of tho world there have nor-■■been established schools when? young women may learn tho ways of trees and shrubs, vegetables and flowers, with experimcn.(;d work among tho growing things themselves. Sonic of these schools...arc- merely adjuncts of tho State agricultural colleges, with more or. less limited courses of insiruo-t-iiui; hut; itvif. out of Philadelphia (writes a lady, who recently loft Christchurch for tho LT"icod • State*), there is a school, to winch women only aro admitted, that is located on a reai farm, and covers a wide. ran?;o of outdoor study. One begins to .f'-ol {'no homely eliarm

"Ohryssa" will bo glad to hoar from aM Interested in Women's Work and Life, and to rooelv® Items of interest and valuo to Woman for publlOU* tlon t or reference In thi» Wiumn.

of the place the moment instructions ai - o given as to how to reach it. " Out tho old Lime-kiln Road," you aro told. And out tho old Lime-kiln Road you go, until you como to a farm which spells the perfection of caro in every clump of tree:* and every row of vegetables. Somo girls in broad-brim-mod hats aro working in tho strawberry bed—if you go in strawberry time—and farther on a group of women have gathered, with an ovorallod instructor, under an apnlo tree whoso needs aro being studied.

Under somo sedate shade trees, you aro led tp an old Pennsylvania stone farmhouse—the administration building, if you please. Beyond are tho barns, poultry houses, nurseries and greenhouses, aud a cottage which is used as a, dormitory for the girls—as unlike the usual dormitory as.tho school is unliko tho usual school. A bee. colony has its own little white villago near by. ,

Then tho director, a trained woman landscape! gardener, tells you all that this school of .horticulture has accomplished sinco its founding fivo years ago.

" Women are naturally fitted for gardening, and for some years past there have been many calls for women who could tako charge of such work, as teachers in school gardens, planners ol private gardens, or landscape gardenera in institutions for womenVery few women, however, had bad the practical training to enable them to fill such positions, and there was little opportunity for them to obtain -such training. Ab that time a number of women in and about Philadelphia, who realised the need for thorough teaching in all the branches of horticulture, not merely iu theory but in practice, organised this school. The course is planned to equip women with the practical knowledge that will enablo them to manage private and commercial gardens, greenhouses or orchards. Some women wish to learn how to care for their own. wellloved gardens; some young girls study with the idea of establishing their own greenhouses and raising flowers as a means of livelihood; still others want to go in for fruit farming, and overt for poultry raising or bee culture. 'vln other countries, schools of gardening for women are holding a recognised place in the educational world. In England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Russia, such institutions have long passed the experimental stage; graduates* from their schools are managing large estates or holding responsible positions as directors of public or private gardens, managers of commercial greenhouses, or as' consult* ing horticulturists and . lecturers. In this country there is a growing demand for supervisors of home and school gardens, for work on plantations and model farms, and for landseapo gardeners. Suoh positions command large salaries,' and the comparatively few women available for them make success almost certain-"

Already one of tho graduates has issued a modest brown circular, stating that she is equipped to supply ideas for gardens and personally to. plant them--to expend limited sums of-money to the best advantage for beauty and service; to take entire charge of gardens and orchards for tho season and personally to supervise gardens during the owners' absence; to spray ornamental trees and shrubs, and prune them; and to care for indoor plants and window boxes.

1 She is waking a success of it, too. She has all sho can do," comments one of tho women directors, who is standing by. A smiling strawberry student, who is passing, readily tells all that going to a garden school means. Each ono of us has her own small plot of ground for which she h responsible. Wo have to plant it, caro for it, and bo marked on it. Wo all have special care of certain parts of the greenhouse, too, and each has a part of tho nursery, the orchard aw\ the vineyard. Even th* work that is too heavy for us wo havo to study about, so that can direct helpers when tho timo comes, Wc have to derstand every detail of it all. We have to keep n- daily record of our Work. This is tho way wo learn ltfow long ifc takes for different seeds to germinate, and how wo learn to watch the development of tho fruits and flowers and vegetables. You see, tho attendance at the school is limited to a small number, so each ono of us receives a great deal of individual attention and help. • * • * * A DELIGHTFUL SALAD PLANT. Anyone unacquainted with cress has a pleasant surprise due her if sho will try it out in tho garden this season. Tho loaves aro pleasantly pungent and may bo used freely as & condiment, served with salads, or for garnishing. There_ are several varieties of cress—the- ordinary garden variety and the watercress. The seed is proverbial for its quick-sprouting habit. Jf press is ■wanted in its prime continuously, seed must be sown every few days, "or at. least once a week, and sown thickly. It may be grown in larger flower-pots or boxes in any light and reasonably warm place. The soil should bo kept moist. Watercress is often grown in shallow waters, but the ordinary garden variety, more suitablo for pot growing, simply requires generous moisture.