The Washington times., 1913-05-26
FARM GIRL TuLS
1.6OO-ACRE TRACT
Missouri Lass Just Dotes on
Hogs, Blue Grass, and Gen.
eraI Produce.

Secretary Of the Missouri Woman
Farmers Club. member Of the execu
| tive board Of the International Congress:
| Of Farming Women. member Of th'
! general educational committee Of tht
| National Drainage Congress, and solt
owner and manager Of a 1,600-acre farm
| in ST. Clair county. NO., Miss Mauds
Griffith, still in her twenties. ID paying
her first visit to Washington.
| Miss Griffith insists that she is q vic.
tim Of greatness thrust upon her.
She was graduated from Christian Col
lege in Columbia, Mo-. with no thought
Of an Agricultural career. Shortly after
ward her father, who always had made
confidante Of her. died, and with her
mother she faced the problem Of selling
the farm, leasing 1t, or running 1t.
Although the estate covered two and
half square miles she knew every
tree and knoll. every brook and pond
on 1t. and could not bear the thought Of
leaving them all. So she decided to run
most admirably. She returned to the
Columbia, where the State agricultura,
college is located. and took q short
course in modern farming, including soil
analysis and stock breeding and stu ie
pursuing courses under the direction OF
instructors there.
Expert On Grasses.
As an expert on grasses. especially
English blue grass. Miss Grinath has at
tracted the attention Of agricultural
scientists. and last year sold seed from
more than 100 acres Of such pasturage
at 12,s cents a pound. The original seed
was imported by her father and she Ii
continuing the work he commenced.
Il guess I'm q crank on crop rotation,
said the fair farmer today. Last year
I had about 400 acres in corn, put very
little of 1t has been planted In corn
ss.in 18th thi; year of iS@ss for some tine It
can raise two crops Of corn without be,
ing injured. but I am just n carefui
not to overwork my land as l am not 70
oyerwork my teams.
DO you feed most OF your sraan OF
II sold most Of It last year, but I
have fed a great deal Of stock. l pre-
fer Herefords to any other. ana may
have a herd Of them next fall. But
don't confine myself to any one orancn
Of farming; I much prefer to be an AL
around' farmer and raise everything;
I've got q plan about hogs SAG
Miss Griffith. and she clasped her hands
ecstatically Just a. though sne were
going to describe q new dress WIN =
draped skirt and real lr1sh lace inser-
tion around the yoke.
BisDemand For Hogs.
You know the big demand ID Tor
hog that can be ready for market when
II is twelve months old. I have tried
Berkshires, and they seem as good AZ
any straight breed. but I think ! can
do better. 1 am going to keep the pure
Poland China for two years. then cross
them with the Berkshires. and later
on with the Duroc Jerseys. Then. you
see. I'll have q hog that Will have the
best qualities Of all three breeds.
And SO for an hour the enthusiastic
young woman sat and talked OF the
work she is doing. Of grass seeds. soii
testing. stock raising, and Of the DIFF
ficulty in securing adequate help on the
farm. Because Of her mother she has
moved to Clinton, Mo. But every Mon
day morning from seed time TIL harvest
she may be seen driving q sleek Ken
lucky bay mare over the fifteen miles
of road between Clinton and the farm,
until the sun Is low in the west the fol-
lowing Saturday.
Outside of her own particular farm
there IL nothing which interests Miss
Griffith 30 much as the Missouri Wom-
Of its kind in the world. Of which she
Is secretary and a charter member. 1t
was organized a little more than two
years ago. when five young women at
the Missouri State Agricultural Col
lege decided to form an organisation
to which only women who owned and
operated farms should be eligible. To
own a farm and lease II out would not
be enough.
Thirty Active Members.
NIL St-,> -1,,h>rs -ara yuaA> s1p,oaf
breathless by the applications that came
in as soon as the organization was an
nounced, and now there are thirty
active members and one associate men,
Der. The associate member 10 a young
across the line from Missouri. and who
begged to be allowed to Join the new
club. The constitution barred her from
full membership. but she was unani-
mously adopted" as a sort Of foster
sister.
The club has just established q schol-
arship at the agricultural college to
which young women raised on Missouri
farms are eligible.
THE greatest missionary field in the
world is out among the Momen ,n eoneIn on ine
sion. We are trying individually and
through our organization to make them
satisfied with farm life, and to show
them how they can better their condl-
tions.
"Of course. to do this We must have
the cooperation Of the men on the
farms. who should buy their wives and
daughters the conveniences that they
need so much. The Government Ii doing
its part. Through its different branches
II has almost worked miracles. The
State and the county also are generally
awake to the need for advancement.
The only indifference seems to be on the
part of the farmer himself But every
day he is getting wider awake. and the
newer generation is advancing wonder
fully.
mo. I'm not a suffragist," she said.