436 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



into it, they will reap the rewards that accrue from them. If they put 

 love of their work, enthusiasm, perseverance, faith in their ability to 

 overcome their difficulties, they will reap the rewards these qualities give 

 a thousandfold. From every direction hands will be reached out to 

 help, unthought-of friendships will be formed, undreamed-of opportuni- 

 ties for work and more work and the realization will come that in this, 

 above all other occupations, it is the work that is important and not the 

 worker. 



But I hear some one say: "You have not told how to make money in 

 these delightful occupations. " No, that is the individual woman's prob- 

 lem ; no one can tell her how to make money, it is something inherent in 

 the woman herself. The woman who has that power will not ask how 

 nor will she go to the successful woman and ask her what to grow, where 

 she markets her crops, what are her prices, and where to go into busi- 

 ness ; she will see her opportunity and grasp it. 



So many women are still living in the pattern-borrowing and recipe- 

 exchanging age and still so ignorant of the ethics of business that it 

 never occurs to them that it is not just as legitimate to ask another 

 woman about her business affairs as to ask her whether she sets her 

 bread with potato or compressed yeast. 



Before going into any branch of horticulture a woman should know 

 her own capabilities. She should know the needs of her locality and not 

 try to make people who want cabbages buy roses, even though the roses 

 do please her esthetic taste and cabbages offend it. "When she has 

 successfully filled the need for cabbages she may try the roses as an 

 experiment, but experiments are often disastrous affairs and it is just 

 such experiences that discourage and dishearten women. They do not 

 realize that their failures are generally due to lack of business experience 

 and judgment. 



"Where are these opportunities? That is another question that women 

 must answer for themselves. Before they can succeed they must learn 

 to depend upon themselves. 



"Women who go into horticulture can gain wealth and distinction in 

 one way only: by using the same methods men do who are successful 

 and giving the best the markets demand, whether it be a plan for a city 

 garden, a bouquet of orchids, or a crop of onions. The day is past when 

 we say: "That is well done — for a woman." Admitting that they are 

 handicapped in many ways they have just that much greater oppor- 

 tunity of proving what they are by the manner in which they overcome 

 their difficulties. 



In this partnership with Nature are many disappointments in store, 

 and from the depths of our hearts we are often ready to believe her the 

 proverbial stepmother. She who enters this partnership must be a 

 philosopher indeed, for one constantly has to cope with conditions over 

 which one has no control. Unexpected winds, heat, cold, floods, combine 

 to reduce the profits each season, while fungi, bugs, thrips, worms and 

 scales of every description tend to destroy all illusions one ever had as to 

 the kindliness of Mother Nature until the Avoman who has never had to 

 cope with her is ready to cry hysterically: "Hail to the dishpan, the 

 mop, and the broom ; me for the city flat, the typewriter, the telephone !" 

 So here is the grand opportunity to acquire a chastened spirit and a 

 contrite heart. 



