Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1864-12-01
AgrienltnraI,
WOMEN FARMERS.
BY NJ l.. HoLBRoOK, NJ. D.

visit for the current year in showing how
to raise any specified crop. Without stop
ing 10 show up the short-sightcdness of
such people, | propose TO introduce for the
consideration Of the readers Of the Fame1'
a question somewhat new to most Of them,
to wit, the question of women farmers"
The last census for England showed this
fact, that there were A 600 women who
are denominated farmers, or to speak more
correctly, agricultural laborers. There are
good many women in America who have
done more or less work on the farm, though
they have not devoted their entire time to
this species Of employment There is also
Il class who may with propricty be called
farmers-women whose husbands being
dead or III the army have carried on farm
ing successfully for many years. Within
few years the idea that agriculture was
adapted to women as an occupation has
still further been carried out in Pekin, New
York, by Mrs Roberts and her daughters.
These ladies have chosen their calling not
from necessity, but choice, as other men
and women choose medicine, teaching, etc
Mrs. K. had spent u large portion Of her
life as Il fashionable woman and was un-
happy. She wanted to be useful, to clc-
vatc her sex. She has wisely chosen an
entirely RetC field, one rich in promise if
rightly worked The following from the
note book Of Mr. Dunton Of Pekim, gives
something of an idea Of what Mrs. Roberts
and her daughters do:
" On the fourth, fifth and sixth of april
we thrashcd oats One girl stood upon the
horsepower and drove five span Of horses ;
another girl stood upon the platform and
pitched the oats, which were unbound to
the machine a third, with the aid of a lit
tie boy, measured up and bagged all the
oats fourth helped to stack the straw
The rest Of the help were men and boys.
"On the seventh and eighth having
piece of meadow on which the grass was
light, one of the girls narrowed it another
sowcd it with oats broadcast; Il third sow
ed grass seed with a patent soWcr, and a
fourth rolled it,
The week past we have been opening
apples, potatoes and carrots that were
buried; cutting ozcr willow, and cleaning
mp oats. About two hundred bushels Of
oats had to be carried III bags, distance
Of several rods, to be cleaned this was
all done by the girls. To-day one girl is
piowing the rest are setting out straw
berry, raspberry and blackberry roots.
"I'hc first week in May, Mrs Roberts
sowcd siXty-iive bushels and one Of the
Girls siXty-scycu bushels of oats. The har-
rowing and rolling the ground was done
by girls During the past month we have
set out three thousand one hundred aIplr.
pear and pcach frees Fully one half of
these have been set up bv the Girls, besides
much Of tIlc mcasuripp, and stac|liuw One
Of the Girls who is now workiuo her third
wear unon the farm. duu. fine holes and sci
AS many trees in a day as thc men did who
were WORKING with her One day She
sGwrd ora.s seed until riaht nine. o'clock
i, +hn rralriiro. and thI, .n+ nrt ninety
peach trees
"ID fact the. do all kinds ,r rr,or,ssiy,,
farm work. ,nrL -, p;rI,r,,., III, and hrr,ip,,
stuulps and roofs, and clr9rino. land pln,y-
iu,. ,irqo,,in,. so,,-;uo .t,.i,, r,.,t,i,,o r,l
ing. binding, moving. siarL.n~. tlrtsI,jI",.
PLANTING. and DIGGING roots. huskinu corn
and ..tL.rin,, .'It5,f.5 ,,,,IIi,,.. g,x 2,.t
Now thcv arc rnnuing a Ga\ brake and
,,Utclcr"
In REGARD to the effect Of rl,rir l,b,rs mn
on strength. Mr.. u. saws:
a. think they are as ,tr,,ur ~, tIr avrr-
arc of farmer. bows of fine sa,p,. v,eioLt
Several oirIs who came here pale lin
delicate, lraiI creatures have in - wear or
two. Increased several inches aroiInd fine
waist. and gained stiIl more in health,
strength and power Of endurance tcIl
vou it seems to me that this i the only
road to health for American womcn.n
or course it is necessary that thew adopt
IA stvlc Of dress convenient for llcir Iabors