Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-05-02
ENGLAND TO USE
WOMEN ON FARMS
Attempt, Not Only to Maintain
Agricultural! Production, but
to Increase Il.
PLAN TO OBTAIN VOLUNTEERS
Must Pass Examination a. to Ability
to Endure Work-labo Usually
Undertaken Has Been Connect.
ed With Live Stock.

Great Britain has attempted. on ac-
count Of the submarine warfare, not
only to maintain her agricultural pro-
duction but to increase It. To do this
an active campaign was undertaken
to place women on the land. This
work Is carried on under the direct
supervision Of their national board Of
agriculture. The organization Is some
what similar to that found in our
county agent organization. there being
district agents. a county community
with a county organizer and local
agents In every county. The functions
OF the local organizations are: first,
to secure women land workers; sec
ond. to train them; and third. to find
farms for them to work on. The work
Of obtaining volunteers has been car
ried on by means Of posters, personal
visits, meetings. competitions, and so
IN.
AS sOon as a woman indicates her
desire to take up work on the land,
she must submit to a physical exami-
nation In order that the committee
may be sure that she Is physically fit
to endure the strain Of farm work. She
is also examined as to her personality,
in order to determine whether she can
get on with farm conditions.
Types Of Practice Farms.
After she has been accepted. she Is
sent to m Of the practice farms.
These farms are OF various types. In
some instances they are agricultural
colleges that have been turned over to
the training IN In other instan.
ces, the women are gathered together
In a home and sent out to the neigh
boring farms to be trained by expert
enced farm workers. In still other in
stances successful farmers have turn.
ed their farms over to the county or
CARNATIONS to be used In training wom-
en-, the women living on the farm and
participating In all operations. During
the trimming period the workers are
without any expense ms far as their
living IL concerned. and are furnished
with q complete outfit, consisting Of
boots, clogs, leggings, hreeches, hat,
and two pairs of overalls.
Work Undertaken.
The most usual types of agricultur
nj labor undertaken ny the worker:
have been those connected with live
stock and Intensive farming, such al
growing mangel, raising calves. milk
Ing. care OF live stock, etc. The perlot
Of training generally lasted four weeks
II, at the end Of this time. the student.
showed sufficient skill. they were LISTED
and efforts were made TO place then
on farms. However. before any Of tn,
women land workers were allowed I,
undertake farm work, the farm wa!
inspected and suitable quarters wer'
found for the workers. Their expert
ence seems to show that II Is imprac
ticable to send the women out to w0rl
as individuals. but that they must b,
kept together. As n result Of this stu
alton. usually one member Of the grouI
becomes matron Of the party and gen
ernl chaperOn. Another. more skille,
than the rest, becomes group lender o
forewoman. Although many Of tn
workers we're from the well.to-do class
e.. they were compelled to accept tn,
prevailing wage In the community am
were required to do az much az the req
a,lnr agricultural workers for the lam
pay.
In order TO increase the demand 70
women workers, and to add interest 4
this kind Of work. competitions hav
been held throughout the country
Tho competitors were Judged upo
their ability to milk. XIII and dres
poultry. harness horses, hoe root.cropi
drive q harrow. spread manure. trii
hedge. and drive a cart. Thus II [
found that orr English.speaking allie
have Increased their production undo
~ctual war conditions.