Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-28

who are doing farm work. There were
over two hundred entries. more than
1000 In prizes besides silver cups Of
fered By earls and marquises and
other big landowners.
The test was held at Oakham, "A
small village In Rutland county In
the heart OF the most beautiful farm
ing country. land which for centuries
has been under cultivation. Rutland
shire contains country seats OF the
Lonsdales. Londonderrys and Gains
boroughs, SO II might have been eX-
pected TO hold pretty light To- tradi-
tion. But so far from holding back
In regard to welcoming women as
farmhands and turning ancient grass
lands into cultivation this county is
In the forefront OF the great advance.
The Marchioness OF Londonderry is
president OF the women's legion and
it was on her estate that the competi-
tion was held
Many Mixers
There were six classes Of competi-
tion, butter-making. bilkine. plow-
ing, hedse-trimming. pitching ana
loading, ana riding and driving farm
horses. Milking drew the largest
number OF entries. pitching and lead
ing hay came next. while harnessing,
riding and driving farm horses made
close third.
The Women's legion was first in the
field with women to iun motor trac-
tors. Now girls are not only takinS
entire charge OF the motor machinery
on many farms thruout the british
Isles but the big tractor companies,
beth American and English. are usine
girls as demonstrators for their new
81,
an unceasing source OF interest at the
Oakham competition. Two particu-
larly compact little threefAIrrow
one-operator plows held crowd OF
farmers al! day long.
arrived on the GROUNDS just in
time 10 see the finish tfthe plow-
ing contest. Each girl had 10. harness
her team and ride II to the field.
opening and closing various gates on
her way, and to set n ridge and plow
one-eighth acre at depth not en-
ceeding four and ane-half inches. An
hour and a half was allowed for the
job It was sight I'll not soon for
get. The long line of teams .ap-
hill, the great horses smoking in the
October sun. Some of the girls
shouted to their teams some crooned
as they clumped along in their
high boots with earth stained legginss,
and one. who wore her hair in a lont
tawny braid. sang little song which
seemed to please her horses as much
as II did the onlookers. Her furrow
lay straight and clean across the field
tco, and she came out first.
The Supreme Test.
Pitching 10 cwt of hay on to a
wagon In an hour sounds easy enough
but when | saw "A company OF young
girls with slender ankles start off
across a meadow. pitchforks ashoul
der. / couldn't help smiling, for II
looked too much like stage farming
They worked in couples and all but
one pair finished well within the al
lctted time. II was u hard job to de-
Cide which wagon made the beS,
show Not n wisp of hay was left or
the ground and as each couple fin
ished the girl on the top slid down
over the size in a workmanlike man
ner.
The test which caused a group OF
farmers to protest. because they said
it was too difficult, required girl to
harness to a farm wagon the biggest
horse | have ever seen, drive thru
a succession OF gates set at acute
angles. then unharness the team, har-
ness it In ulow gear and ride thru
long line of gates each of which had
to be opened and closed, each con
testant carrying sack of chaff "a
liz as herself on the ridden horse
and leading the other.
There were no men about to helr
ever the rough places. the girls had
to do all their own toting. The judges
were men chosen from among the
county gentry and farmers, old men
all of the old school. except the but
making judges who were women
GARY experts.
What They Wear.
AS to dress, there was as much di-
Versity as in any other line of work
Scme girls wore stout hobnailed shoes
and puttees or leather CATERS, some
high boots laced to the knees. They
all wore riding breeches of whipcord
or corduroy and most of them had OF
coarse linen smocks. One dashns
milkmaiJ who is earning her four dol
lars and "a half n week and keep, the
usual pay for farm work, had bobbed
curls and wore "A linen hat to match
her smock which was elaborately
stitched in design OF rosebuds and
daisies all in colors. She told me
that all her brothers are at the from,
ana tnat Sne Just Hdu TO enlist IOi
something, so her mother finally con-
serted to farm work. and it wes
riother's pride to smock her turics ir
the odd times between knitting and
making goodies for the boys ID
France.
Another girl. the daughter OF O
great London physician, IS shepherd
and cowgirl on farm in Hart
shire. She and her chum, plowgir
on the came farm, were in the same
compartment with me returning tt
London. They had gone up to oak
ham the night before to be in time fol
the first event. They let me have o
peep into the little dispatch case
which did dressing bag service fol
both The night gowns and two
toothbrushes jostled for space with q
couple of the latest novels. book OIL
fertilizers and a batch of farm bull
letins Issued by the Women's Legion
Dull On Sunday.
One of the girls lives at the farm
where she works. the other in a cot
tage near by. They are up at
every morning and go thru the regu-