New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-27
WOMEN AS AGRICULTURISTS.

Whatever position she may occupy in society
every woman has important duties 10 rum as
is not always limited to that. Although II IL gen
orally the husband who provides for the necessares
Of his family the collaboration of the wife often
becomes useful and even necessary. on the other
hand. q woman who is widowed ana left without
means Is frequently put to the necessity OF earning
a living FOR herself and her children And the un-
married woman who would pass through IRE non
Of her own labor. How many girls, particularly in
the middle classes. are able TO make Their own
Is ended when they have paid for some years or
boarding school for their daughters, and have pro-
too small 10 attract young men. Brought up as
they frequently are in relative luxury. accustomed
having no occupation Incapable of performing the
little duties Of household or Of earning theft own
livelihood. what is TO become Of these unhappy
girls after their parents death?
Still they must find some place They Will at
tasteful dress; they will try TO shine by their social
talents. or to please by thousand little arts which
such weapons they enter INTO ne ana ana, engage IN
the struggle for existence! Some VIII. perhaps.
households as We see so many OF in these days
Others will follow an evil propensity and plunge
and where does the greatest fault lie-with these
unlGcky girls or with those who had charge Of
Some more sensible parents are trying TO edu-
cate their daughters with view to their future
lives and they anxiousiy ask themselves what
boarding school will continue the work begun at
home and later on. how they can find their girls
such situations VIII secure them a livelihood.
II must be admitted that up 10 the last few
years little done In Belgium for enabling girls
10 their living outside those conditions of
servitude which the place OF governess, music
teacher. etc. necessarily entails In France there
some prosperous printing Offices which employ
women exclusively except for porters' and other
mental work. There are also In Paris. schools for
advanced studies where women may. without pass
ing through the university obtain instruction in
physical and natural sciences for which they often
few months ago / visited the Station de Sc
mences" depot for Seeds in Zurich Switzerland
where all the work is done by women, who, ac-
cording 10 the director Of the establishment acquf
themselves to perfection. In this connection | can
not help being reminded OF certain observations
which made by learned who has
thought about the question OF the agricultural
training Of women for years: Whatever may be
said. we in Belgium are still under the influence
Of the Napoeonic code (that is TO say, the bar
barrie spirit of the Greeks and Romans) 10 such an
extent that we regard as illuminated spirits all
those who work for the realization of the Chris
tian ideal which proclaimed as mans
equal as il has proclaimed the slave the master >
equal from spiritual point Of view"
Let US see what is going on In the domain OF
agriculture In Belgium.
THE ACTUAL POSITION OF FARMERS WIVES
In the majority Of smaller Belgian holdings the
wife negects her household occupations. The
preparation Of food generally leaves much 10 be-
order and cleanliness are absent In the house. and
The children are left 10 themselves They are not
taken Of physically: nobody troubles 70 de-