REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 381 



country? sbe could not even aspire to be vice-president of the county 

 horticultural society, to say nothing- of the State. Now the possibili- 

 ties are in her favor. 



But seriously, can woman do anything in horticulture that man 

 cannot do equally well ? They say it takes a scolding- woman to sow 

 pepper seed: that is, to make a success of it. 



It certainly requires a great amount of patience to be successful 

 with delicate seedlings to carefully transplant and shade them, keep 

 them free from weeds and bring them to perfection. But there have 

 been patient men, we hear of them occasionally, Job, for instance. It 

 is true there are not many women's names on the roll of horticultural 

 fame, but perhaps if justice were done we should find them there. 

 Many of the beautiful homes of our lovely city with their well kept 

 grounds, emerald lawns, set with fruit and shade trees and brightened 

 and adorned with borders and beds of choicest flowers are the result 

 of womans labor. There is such a home on East Walnut street, the 

 residence of the widow Hill and her daughters. Misses Sophie and 

 Katie, where woman's hands tilled the soil, set out the trees and shrubs 

 and personally superintended all the work that they did not actually 

 do with their own hands. There are many more that might be men- 

 tioned that you are doubtless aware of. In the rose gardens of France 

 it is just possible that some of the choice varieties produced there and 

 made famous throughout the world for which credit is given to Mon- 

 sieur Le Propriataire, may have been the result of the experiments of 

 Madame la Femme. 



But there is a mission for woman in which she can give and receive 

 the greatest pleasure and satisfaction. It is in distributing- her fruit 

 and flowers where they will be appreciated, giving of her abundance 

 if she be successful in horticulture to those who are not so highly 

 favored. Her reward will be the blessings of the sick aud afflicted and 

 in this way she will realize the truth of the saying: "It is better to 

 give than receive." The AVomans Flower Mission of St. Louis are 

 availing themselves of this privilege and are bringing joy and gladness 

 to many a sick bed, both in hospital.and home. 



