New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-26

country and in the towns justifles and explains
this fact. Agricultural laborers (fernale) are
palo from is TO 40 cents a day. the average
being nearer the former than the latter figure.
In the factories the same women can earn an
average of 80 cents day in Paris, and 20 cents
outside the capital Added to the higher rate
OF earnings are the amusements and the glitter
of the atty. which appeal strongly to the
young gill to her brother.
In order to restore in some sort to agriculture
the prestige which it has lost in the eyes OF
the people, agricultural colleges have been
founded throughout the country. But. curious
ly enough, while the law and art, the medical
and dentistry schools all have opened their doors
TO women, Of the eighty-two agricultural COL
leges of France only two open to girls, those
of Kerliver and Costlogon, both dairy schools
and both founded about twenty years ago.
They give practical course of instruction in
housekeeping, cooking, laundry work, poultry
rearing, gardening. and. particularly, in all
that pertains to dairy work, including the care
of the cows. AT these two colleges special care
has been taken not to unit the scholars for
roughing 1t later the farms by making the
present conditions of life too easy or luxurious
The fare is exactly the that of the
peasants Of Lower Brittany-black bread made
OF mixed wheat, barley and buckwheat; a kind
Of oatmeal soup and butter being the staple
articles of daily food A third college, slight
ly different lines. has recently been started at
Monastier, in the Department of Haute Loire
but at present it is in the experimental stage
only, and, to all practical purposes, there are
only two agricultural colleges that receive girls
At both the terms very low, each inmate
other than "boursiere," or holder of a scholar
ship. paying 400 francs $50 year. If, how
ever, agriculture showed any signs of becom-
ing popular with the Sex, these establishments
would be found to be totally inadequate for, all
told. they can accommodate only thirty pupils
between them
Many applications have of late been made by
women to the Minister of Agriculture for adnis-
sion to the classes In the mems agricultural coll
leges, but always, SO far, without success. Every
year sees the already overcrowded professions
of medicine. law. art and dentistry still further
congested by women recruits, whose energies
might with advantage be turned aside into other
and equally useful and digniied channels If
these educational facilities could be granted to
them. Many would embrace the healthy, peace
full. open air life of the farms In preference to
the strenuous. destroying existence in
cities. If the conditions of such labor could be
made adequate to support the intelligent and
trained worker. The presence Of such women
IN the rural districts would tend to bring back
the recalcitrant men. for it is round the women
that family life centres. What an ideal for the
Minister of Agriculture to contemplate! A
countryside dotted over with permanent, inalien-
able homesteads. in which trained women work.
ers are giving intelligent and skilled co-opera-
toni Surely in the future. If this ideal