The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1861-03-02
DEPARTMENT.
Farming by Women.

en 10 farming. She thus states the re-
nit, in letter TO friend /: Farming is
ot the business that should, from choice,
hgage in as llfe-pursuit but what we
Fould do is not always within our reach /;
nd it is not wise or just for women to
lang upon their husbands, fathers, or
rothers for support, and sit down and de'
othing, merely because they cannot hu0
hat to do which best suits their incline
ons. As we have farm, we prefer "
ye honestly and independently by tiIling
rather than to be supported in idlenese,
nd live and spend our time as society and
lshion dictate. We hope also to encour-
be other women, other mothers with their
hughters, who are now shut up in close
Pons toiling with their needles for mis-
Fable pittance and most precarious ex-
tence, to come out and labor on the land
the fresh air, and earn for themselves a
ore independent living. There is free-
pm and health for women in tilling the
md as n gardener or farmer, which cal
found in no other employment. That &
I'D my daughters know by Experiences
e are free to live out the pure impulse of
ir nature, free TO breathe the pure air Is
haven, free 10 think and act for oarselve5,
pd free to be what God made and do
gned us to bc-truc women. We art
pc in n sense we could not be in any 9th.
kind OF labor. We have proved that
omen can do all kinds of farm work.
e have acres of sowcd corn for food
r our stock, 80 acres of Hungarian Grass,
acres of Spring Wheat, s acres of Car
Is, and 60 acres of Oats. All these crops
|e good. We have fine crop OF Onions.
g have some corn (planted for human
od) and Potatoes and Peas that are very
pod, and some not so good. We are pre-
bring to SOW 40 acres with Winter Rye.
I'd Wheat. We have also small dairy
10 COWS. We have one girl, 16 wears
u, to help us, which is all the help we
i've beside our own daughters. Occa-
pnally, the men who are ditching, when
of work on the bitches, help us some.
ut in preparing the land, in getting in
ltlvating all the crops | have mentioned,
have had only seven days work from
en-, and that was in drawing the drill to
mt the seed. The rest of the work has
been done by the five girls and myself
have sowed our grain broadcast by
nd and ! think any good farmer would
we said 1t was just as well done as any
I'm conld have dOnc-with the same ex-
(riGpec. My heart is in the work to
monstrate to the mothers and daughters
our country the practicablity of emf
bylng themselves proftably, beautifully,
without any sacrifice of true womanly
licacy and P6iitencss, in cuItivating tile
l. and making for themselves happy and
dependent homes on the land"
The love of independence, enterprise
d industry displayed by the writer Of
above letter is worthy of all common
ton. Niagara county, bounded on the
yer by that name, and including the
norican side of the Falls and LocLport.
one OF the richest farming districts in
State of New York. Five acres of
padcast corn for stock, thirty acres in
hungarian Grass, eight acres of carrots, |
small dairy of nineteen cows" to
nothing of other facts indicate pretty |
eh farming. Sixty acres in oats and
~ in wheat and rye, (tho wheat nudge
lses the sowing Of the last named c.ain) |
Pw that these female tillcrs of the soil
We pretty extensive farm for that State.
1850, and before the nudge did much |
image in Western New York, Niagara
unity returned 9l7,739 bushels of> lcat;
only las bushels of rye. 1t had |
,093 sheep; and IFS farms are worth |
m SOTO 800 per acre.
IL Is choice not necessity, that prompts |
S unusual outdoor work in the olcn
by these females,
-
"