CO-OPERATION 19 



for jam-making and preserving, the regulation of 

 markets, the encouragement of co-operative move- 

 ment, the increased need of cultivating more wheat 

 and other food supplies, was not sufficiently made 

 known by directing heads at the commencement of 

 the war. These important branches were left too 

 much to the chance interest of voluntary workers. 

 But as time goes on and, let us hope, a strong 

 leadership assumes initiative with which to guide 

 us in these matters, it will be realised by all what an 

 important part women farmers and market-gar- 

 deners can play. 



Other countries have long defeated us in the way 

 of properly picking, packing, and marketing pro- 

 duce. Our railway rates need reducing, and, above 

 all, societies of growers should be formed who could 

 by bulking send vegetables and fruit at a lower 

 cost of transit. The grower and producer, those 

 hard-worked individuals, do not now get the re- 

 ward they should justly receive for their labour. 

 The man who buys from them, the consumer, can 

 with difficulty get fresh vegetables direct from the 

 grower, and as he probably is the father of a family 

 of boys who will be future soldiers, it is necessary 

 in the health interests of the nation that these two 

 people, the grower and consumer, should be brought 

 into closer contact. 



It has been in the hope of eventually helping on 

 co-operation in farming and gardening, which I 

 look upon as one of the most important develop- 

 ments, that I have persevered in maintaining a 

 college for women gardeners. My efforts in this 

 direction have been restricted and insignificant ; 



