Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-09-06

IN "a recent letter written by Mr. Fulton Of
the Baltimore American. now dwelling in
Europe. he speaks Of women and cows in
France for work, men and horses for war,
and also narrates how he has seen women do
ing the work on the farms iu that country,
while the men did good denl Of heavy stand
ing round, so to speak.
Here in the United Staies, while the larger
portion Of our population OF $1,000, 600 ARE
engaged in agriculture. and not one in ten Of
the entire number can expect 20 subsist nbso-
lutely without work it is necessary that wo-
men should have some knowledge Of the prin-
ciples and processes involved in rural arts
Indeed. it Is a fact that IN the great West
many women carry on farms with the same
degree Of profit that the same number Of men
could. 1t is repul5ve TO the American mas
culine mind that women should hold the pillow,
as women do in some foreign countries, or
dig bitches, or build fences but there are oc-
equations pertaining to agriculture essentially
feminine. in which women are qualified by
nature TO excel
We think that the relutious of American
women TO rural industries is a subject TINT is
either only imperfectly understood or not up
preciated III this country women have
higher development. al things considered.
than those Of any other country. EmigraIts.
it is obvious TO all, bring their industrial aud
social habits with them. soon TO he modified.
however. 10y American ideas Womcn's ne
tual work in country life embraces wide
scope. aud it is not all "drudgtry.' For in
stance. of the GOO. 600 pounds Of butter man
ufactured in the United States every year.
how much comes from the labor of women.
in milking and churning. and MI the cares of
dairy management; OF 30. uuO. 600 pounds
Of cheese. the factories TO the contrary not
withstandng, how much is mad" by the wives
and daughters Of farmers: This line Of
thought is susceptible Of being extended al
most indefinitely. The eggs ana poultry. the
sweets Of the hive. the products Of tAe mar
ket garden. the gathering of the small fruits,
etc. all involve more or less feminine labor.
and the value of these products amounts to
millions Of dollars annually, TO say nothing Of
the casual labor Of women who assist. yUluu-
tarily or otherwise, in planting. wedding. cul-
uvatinR, haying, and even the care Of live
stock the worth Of doing all Of which if reck-
oned in dollars would represent a very re-
spectacle percentage Of the total farm VrOduc-
ton The hand Of woman is then, plainly
seen in the wealth wrought from the earth
Outside of New England is where a good deal
of work is done on the farm by women. In
some sections of New England female out
door labor is unknown. 1t is incompatible
with New England institutions" say some
but we notice that in late years considerable
farm work is done by women. The record
says that in some districts in Vermont one
twentieth Of the farm work is done by women
In Massachusetts, Connecticut aud Rhode
Island women work at berry picking quite ex-
tensively. and many of them are smarter
than the men. In New York, III tying hop
vines and picking hops, in which CELEBRITY in
digital manipulation is n winning accomplish
ment. women are preferred il is also the case
WIgpnuefr In (llig IN rfigki11rr Az
other fruit the women excel In the more
Western States women act as harvester. We
have seen Norwegian women perform Us
much work in q day as the best man ever
could. IN the matter Of harvesting. u-ricul-
tural machinery is rapidly reducing the pro-
portion Of female labor. vet d woman may Oc-
casionRlly be seen engaged in this masculine
vocation. In Delaware and Maryland more
than one half of the peaches are picked by
women. In some districts in the South it is
said that twenty per cent. of the farm work H.
more outdoor work than American women ;
but it is noticed that those emigrants become
"Americauized' in the cours. Of n few years
and work less on the farm. In some Of the
States west Of the Mississippi the kitchen gar
den is mostly in the hands Of women
Farm management by women is no longer
a novelty in the United States. There is no
Mghtr aspect OF women rural work than that
of farm management. Were women general
ly to undertake it without practical knowledge
failure might result Two unmarried duugh-
tiers in New Hampshire have for years man
aged farm in that State. and at one time
they lead the neighborhood il the cultivation
| of fruits and the production of 'gilt-edgvd'
! butter, which commands high price in the
| Eastern markets. The other day We read an
account of Il widow lady in Minnesota who
/ manages farm of GOO acres and makes
money right along. There are plenty of ez-
amples where women are successful in farm
management These suggestions are only
! hints to what women are doing in American
! agriculture (uitigGtO7'