Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-08
The Girl and The Peach.

Inc 1ltl ana tuc TooCus
But for the services Of women, much of
the peninsula peach crop would have been
lost for want of pickers, according to the
newspapers there, in noting the approach
ing end of the marketing of this fruit
Since the outbreak of the war the country
has had to look to the cooperation OF
women in many. emergencies. and they
seem not TO have failed in a single instance,
even though we have noted the fair ones in
the fields pitching and loading hay and
driving the mower; and in the tobacco
growing sections of the country they have
lent invaluable aid in the task of caring
for the plants, work that is hard in the
extreme, taxing even men of athletic
fitness and build. They have driven
motor cars or trucks, cared for gardens,
engaged successfully on stock farms, have
proven themselves capable as iagmen,
train dispatchers, conductors, elevator
operators, and even as day laborers.
Indeed, there have been few posts women
have not fitted into and performed their
tasks we'll
Down State and on the Eastern Shore
the women came to the rescue OF the fruit
growers and have acquitted themselves
admirably, according to all reports. They
began their work, or many of them did,
when the early berries came to the ripen-
ing stage and have busted themselves out
doors all the summer. They have made big
wages as contrasted with other times, and
have acquired new knowledge, or the way
to new vocations, besides gaining in health
Many have found the work so agreeable
and profitable that they will continue IN
the orchards until the apple crop is gather
ed. when they will return to their city
homes for thefest of the winter.
In some sections almost the entire peach
crop was picked by women, mostly girls OF
school age or young unmarried women, and
they declared that they have had an en-
ioyabe season. in addition to now having
well-flled purses which they will take
back with them.
The experience of the women this sea-
sui, anu tNeI suSS tbC WnA A'eANA> S"~,'N~
mands on their service, seems to indicate
that they would rather do anything else
than the household work. While 1T is
possible to fill scores of places IN as many
varieties of work satisfactorily, it is prac-
tically impossible to find one of our wage
earning women out of every hundred who
attempts housework who has any qualihca-
tions to inclination for such duties, or who
is temperamentally suited for domestic
service.
On the other hand, men trained IN
inside work of big establishments, like
hotels, become far more efficient than the
women. They are concededly the better
cooks and better for keeping the house
clean, even superior, not infrequentiy; IN
the art of bedmaking.
In view of these changed conditions,
perhaps we are reaching period when
there will be an exchange in the work of
men and women. Who knows but herein
lies the solution of the labor probiernE
Both men and women would be released
from what they have considered the
grind" and both enjoy the stimulus and
enthusiasm that comes from a change Of
vocation after that kind of toll has be-
come irksome and monotonous However
that NAV be. we shall find more and more !
women going into the country, or those |
living in the country going into the held. |
and orchards. while the kitchen and the |
home will be further emptied Of helpers
unless the men fill the vacant places.
Whatever the outcome in that direction,
the girls have saved thepeach from rotting
and had it sent to market in time, and the
whole world that loves the peach will ad-
nire the fair harvesters who, in overalis OF
Khaki, have spent much of the time for
weeks on small ladders, carefully pluck
ng the delicious fruit as fast as it ripened
and turned its blushing face to the summer
sun.