The Washington herald., 1914-02-17
BY MARY. b. BIULLETT.

lCopnEht, IsiA)
Mrs. Edith Loring Fullerton is a woman
who. working literally side by side with
her husband. has accomplished at least
two important things In the first, place,
she has shown that brains and work will
make even poor soil pay. And in the
second place, she has devised q new
scheme for marketing vegetables.
Eight years ago Mrs Fullerton and her
husband took charge Of an experimental
farm on Long Island. The railroad sent
them there to see whether the soil, which
had never produced much of anything
but scrub pine In that particular section,
could be made to grow vegetables. They
were equipped with what an ordinary
farmer would have to work with; no
more; because II was for the very pur-
pose Of showing what ordinary farming
could accomplish that they were sent
there.
1t didn't take them long to prove that
good vegetables could be substituted for
scrub pine on, that soil. But having
raised their crops. they found they had
solved only half their problem. A crop
was no good without a market They
were less than two hours from the hun
cry millions OF New York. but through
the peculiar dispensations Of commission
men. the farmers Of that section couldn't
get for their produce prices that would
pay for packing and shipping.
Their "Home Hamper"
At this stage Of the game the Fuller
tons devised what they call the ''homc
hamper" II is a light wooden crate in
which six wooden baskets are packed. in
two layers. OF course. the contents Of
the hampers vary constantly. Each
basket contains four quarts of vegetables
or fruits. Unless specially ordered. there
will be one basket Of fruit and hve Of
assorted vegetables.
Having figured out this scheme, the
Fullertons sent a few hampers to friends
In town with R note saying that II the
recipients thought the contents were
worth $50 they might send the money.
n not, please to accept the hamper with
the Fullerton compliments. In every case
the money was sent, accompanied by
orders for more home hampers. And now
the farm is literally swamped with these
orders.
That was before the days OF the parcel
post and of reduced express rates. Under
present conditions the scheme works all
the better. II has been taken up by
farmers in all parts of the country and
home hamper" promises to be a boon.
self. but also to the consumer famished
fer really fresh vegetables.
Herself is used with intention in this
case. for this hamper project is par
ticularly adapted to women farmers. One
young woman who has taken IL up sends
a printed slip each week to her custo-
mers. They check of the vegetables and
fruits they want 20 order and these are
packed in the hampers and sent accord
sy,nr =.
the morning are delivered by express the
same day and the purchaser Is saved
the trouble Of going to market. These
hampers, which are packed with special
vegetables ordered by the purchaser, are
s. apiece. while the others are $50 each.
The home hamper business offers a
splendid outdoor occupation for
woman" says Mrs. Fullerton. But she
must remember three things. She must
work near a large city. she must have
a small place which she can cultivate eX-
tensively, and she must dress suitably.
A skirt has no place in an intensive
market garden. II takes up about three
times as much space as the woman her
self does. Except Of course. some Of the
recent fashions in that line. But Id
like to see a woman in one of these gar
ments try to pick peas or to weed
onions. No! bloomers and long leggins
are the proper costume and they are
both modest and sensible.
Team Work.
The best way for women to do is to
double team il That is. have PARTNER
ship with some other woman. The ideal
arrangement is for one woman to be
either scientifically or practically educated
in the outdoor. or agricultural, end OF
II, while her partner should be competent
to run the indoor end OF the establish
ment One of the latter's jobs will be
to jar the surplus produce.
There are always nis-shapen and de-
fective fruits and vegetables which. like
homely human beings. are as good at
heart as their handsomer neighbors. Small
ears of corn and uneven tomatoes are
examples. At times, too. there is a sur
plus in some one vegetable and fruit.
These should be canned. or Jared for