The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-04-23
WOMEN AS FARMERS.
No Reason Why They should Not Success
fully Manage Farm.

AuAAJ -sAAAaS e q 4
For those farmers who are possessed
Of sufficient quick capital for conduct
ing their farm operations on an eco
nomical and business-like basis, the time
has long aince passed when the mere
ability to dig end delye in the soil con-
stitutes the most essential qualification
in the race of success. The power to
command others, to plan campaign,
to encourage and secure tie best efforts
of those employed il fact, the posses
sion OF Leadership or executive ability,
is of far greater value to the farmer,
whether mar or woman, than mere
muscular strength or iron endurance.
True, if an individual is not sufficiently
familiar with the details of farming to
know what constitutes a fair days
work, and also whether the work is
properly performed, his or her success
in farming is a very doubtful matter.
And it commonly happens that this fa-
miliarity can only be secured by prac-
teal experience in the work itself.
When the owner of a good farm has
learned this, and has the tact, in deal
ing with men, 10 get a good day 5 work
from his employees, the less he attempts
to do with his own hands the greater
will be, his success. His time is, or
should be, devoted to the direction of the
labors of others. It ought to be too
valuable to spend on work that he can
employ others to do as well as he.
In practical experience we find that
some of our most successful farmers
are men who have become physically
incapable of hard work They give
their time to planning and directing
the work of others. One who has been
q good farmer need not retire because
he has become unable to perform hard
work. And just here arises difficult
question, which often presents itself in
the death or disability of the managing
director of the farm. Can the wild
owed mother keep the homestead farm
and rear her family amid early associa-
tons, or must she sell the farm, always
at heavy sacrifice, and seek other
means of gaining a livelihood? 1t is
always a very trying question to an
swer, the more difficult because any So
luton will leave the bereaved family TO
suffer many losses and privations to
which they have never before been ac-
customed
In many more cases than would at
first be supposed it will be found best
for woman left alone by the death of
husband or son to continue, at least
for time, as far as possible in the old
ways. This is true in all ayocations,
and in these days is probably as true
of farming as of any other. The farm
may not be the vocation which the
widow herself would have chosen, but
if she is a capable, energetic woman,
and if her husband has interested her
as he should in farm management, she
is under no necessity of making fail
ure. In any respectable farm commun-
ity she can avail herself of the best
counsel and advice that can be given.
For awhile she must be content with
farming on a smaller scale than here
tofore; blowing and sowing less, grow
ing crops that cost the least labor and
perhaps letting part of her land to be
worked on shares. This is done by
many men farmers, and it is branch
of farming where she would be at least
on an equality with them. If she does
not make expenses the first year or two
she need not be surprised, much less
discouraged. Running behind in mon
ey matters would probably be her ex-
perience for time, whatever course
she adopts. If, as is possible, her losses
on the farm are less than they would
be from leaving it, she may fairly con-
slider her farming a success. By and
by she will be able to do better than
this. If she keeps close accounts with
her crops she will soon learn where
the gains and where the losses origin
ate. BY pruning off the losses and in
creasing the gains she will be quite as
apt to make her farming as profitable as
the majority of her neighbors who give
their crops no such careful scrutiny.
In certain branches of farming, such
as small fruit growing, gardening and
poultry keeping, the most delicate
women can do considerable part of
the lighter work themselves. 1t is in
specialties like these that many women
have achieved success, but only when
CH6y nave SluCoTC love 1OI Guo WOIh
itself, and do not merely take it up as
dernier resort for the purpose of
making money. Where there Is real
love for the work there will almost
certainly have been some previous ex-
perience which will do much toward
insuring success. With trusty and
strong male help to do the heavier
work of farming, far greater number
of women can succeed in earning a
comfortable living by tilling the soil
than is now supposed. Especially is
this true of those who have been left
with farm stock and tools for conduct
ing the business. As with men, so
with the women who are enthusiastic
workers in the lighter branches, they
must take care not to allow their en-
husiasm to run away with their judy
ment by inducing them to attempt
that part of the labor which stronger
hands can better be employed in ac-
complishine.-Anae CatltiUdtOr.