Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-31

"vASHINGTON, D. c. July 25.-In Great
w Britain the teaching of agriculture to
women has been adopted as a war measure
Glasses in milking, cheese-making, poultry-Ieed-
ing and light farm work are big feature Oh every
village, town and estate. Farmers, as matter OF
patriotic duty, have loaned their cows and horses
for such instruction; the agricultural colleges are
boarding women farm students in dorm1torles'
and numerous counties throughout England. scot
land and ireland have organized courses OF larh
instruction for women.
The agricultural situation in Great Britain is
extremely serious. Evidently, the German U-0oat
maneuvers not anticipated in the early part
of the war for England let her food production
diminish to a distressingly small output before
she realized her danger. The soil, much of which
had lain idle, had to be treated, and many RENE
dial measures had to be instituted before 1ood-
production could be restored to normal basis.
The training of women farmers was one OF the
first measures to be undertaken, inasmuch as the
country had sent nearly all its farm hands to the
trenches House-to-house canvasses were made Dy
war committees to induce young girls to attend
classes in farming, and to induce farmers 10 en-
ploy them. Some counties instituted pubic reg
istration of women who were willing 10 UNDERTAKE
"war labor the farms, and or farmers VINO
were willing to employ such labor. When these
measures did not prove successful, the county gov
eminent appealed to the national government
which then took a hand.
The agricultural subcommittee OF the county
co-operated with the agricultural committee OIL
the whole nation in preparing scheme which mas
helped to solve the problem Naturally the larH'-
ers were dubious about hiring girls who mad never
seen cow who did not know roots from Vegeta-
bes and who could not handle horses 80 the
government overcame this difficulty by training
the girls. They sent to approved larmS
throughout the country, where they had to agree
to remain eight weeks. The first four weeks were
regarded as a period OF instruction. while the
girl was getting acquainted with the nature or the
cow and intricate darying processes, the govern
ment paid her wage of ten shillings week FOR
the next period of four weeks however, the FARMER
had to pay the wage, since it was assumed tnat Dy
that time the girl would begin to be really useIul
Then there are so-called patriotic gangs mace
UP of leader and several girls who traVei ABOUT
the country from farm to another, helplns
with various harvests. Sometimes they pick straw
berries on one farm; milk cows on another; WORK
in the fields of yet another, and then END the sea
son by harvesting hops Many OF the women IN
these gangs are of the leisure class in peace times
They have never done anything more strenuous
than to knit stockings and caps for soldiers. For
than the experience is nothing less than revolu-
tionarv When your life has been a comfortable
routine of chocolate in bed at ten in the morning
shopping at twelve, luncheon at one, knitting ana
a drive through the park in the afternoon, with
dinner and bridge in the evening, it is consider
able change rise at three o'clock in the morning
pick strawberries until noon, eat small snack
and spend your afternoon cleaning stables and
churning butter; then milk the cows and go 10 Ded
Immediately after supper. Physically, 1t does not
seem to hurt the women, and 1t even seems 10 I'M
prove their mental attitude.
This farming opportunity has also wrought
tremendous change in the lives of other women
women who leave the crowded congested quarters
of the city to work farms. 1t has brought
uninue change in labor conditions of the city.
Places that were formerly filled by women are
now filed by men, who either from disability or
age are unfit for military duty. Thus young Ia
dies who used to work in the department stores
millinery establishments and tea shops of London
are now to be found farming in Devonshire and
Sussex, while old men are hlllng their places III
the city. .
Moreover women who have always lived on
farms but who have always been assigned to
homework, that alone being considered thelr ap-
nronriate occupation may now be found driving
their brothers and fathers ploughs and taking an
active part in the shearing of wool. On one farm
in Sussex a young woman, recently returned from
q fashionable boarding school, has insisted upon
managing the work a ifty-ffty basis with her
father She is assisted by young dressrpaker and
a middle-aged millner from London me tnree