Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-28
Employment of Women ON Farms Advocated Mrs. Mccormick

the work done last year on the vassar
College farm, when for eight hours
day for eight summer weeks twelve
Vassar girls worked on the farm In
eminent for more farm produce to meet
the war demand. More produce meant
more farm labor Here was farm OF
740 acreA Men were enlisting and being
drafted into the Army. Where were
the regular hands coming from? Those
twelve girls answered the question in
part Tho results accomplished by the
young women included the planting
and cultivating Of sixteen acres OF Held
corn. ten acres Of ensilage corn. five
acres Of beans, five acres Of potatoes.
hay raked and pitched. rye cut and
shocked. and the milking Of at least
four cows a day. In the college garden
they laid S out tSa1 PEG OF
Ing to the most modern methods, and
they planted the majority Of the veEe-
tables for summer table use ana the
The college girls not only deposited
generously to the nations credit, but
set an example that IL to be followed
by girls all over the country on home
farms. in schools and colleges. said
have started a movement which will
result in limitless good work. We have
made a careful study of the methods
and accomplishments of the women In
agriculture in the other warning coun-
tries"
Mrs.. Mccormick called attention to
the fact that in England the women
have gone into every branch Of farm
work and are successfully following
that done by hand and that done by tho
heaviest machinery. They are hedging
and ditching, following forest, orchard
and garden work. dairyahg and shop
herding; driving heavy motor transport
wagons to market. Also. they are mar
keting the garden produce. In Britain
the work Of the women's land army
is directed by the women's section Of
the board Of agriculture.
Mrs. Mccormick called attention to
the fact that there are about 1900
British women serving In their coun-
try's land army, and the farmers, who
in the beginning were strongly opposed
to the employment of women, have in
many cases become converts, owing to
the success Of the feminine agricul-
tural workers. The daughters Of prac-
tically every county family in Britain
have taken UP work on their own farm
lands. side by side with the village
agricultural laborers. Titled women,
formerly we'll known in society. work
stables.
"canada's government handed over
its women in agriculture problem to
the Young Womens Christian Associa-
tion," said Mrs. Mccormick. land tho
result has been satisfactory" Both in
British Columbia and in Ontario there
was great need Of women to pick fruit
in the summer of 1917. The Young
Women's Christian Association on the.
Island Of Vancouver sent out in the
neighborhood Of 1900 girls to work on
the different farms. The girls were
sent in groups, with chaperons or su-
pervisors. A similar work was done by
the Dung Women's Christian Associa-
ton in Vancouver in cooperation with
the Consumers League.
In Ontario the government opened
and organised q labor bureau which
to meet the needs of fruit
growers in the fruit belt between Toron-
toto and Niagara. About 1900 girls were
provided. Although berry picking was
the main feature Of the work desired
of them, the girls turned their hands
to many other kinds Of farm labor.
They handled horses, drove the fruit to
market and sold 1t. hoed, weeded and
on rainy days worked in canneries. The
young women were mostly Of good edu-
cation and position. Many OF them were
and some were office clerks.
The cheerful perseverance, Of the wom-
en- made strong appeal to the farmers
and they look forward with satisfac-