1 14 WOMEN-GARDENERS 



those who love country life, I have in mind the 

 successful example of such a growers' colony as 

 is to be seen at Pershore. There, in close proximity, 

 are men and women, all pursuing the same large 

 interests. Although their work is primarily for 

 individual advancement or pleasure, it yet has 

 the advantage of being useful to our country and 

 Empire. They are increasing the cultivation of 

 land and the yield of home-grown food supplies. 

 Their work does not, however, cease here, for the 

 active industry that they maintain brings with it 

 an added demand for labour, and thus the work- 

 man, his wife and children are retained on the land. 

 Better housing conditions and regular employment 

 keep him from seeking other work in towns or in 

 our Colonies and this helps to stem the Rural 

 Exodus which, for several hundred years, has in- 

 creased and consequently weakened the nation. 

 We know the health-giving, nerve-steadying in- 

 fluence of country life and in this age of air-craft 

 and bombardment it is especially necessary to build 

 up for future generations some of those strong 

 physical and moral qualities that must surely suffer 

 through the strain they will have been put to during 

 these months of warfare. 



The women that are wanted at once, to prepare 

 themselves for this great work, are those who in 

 their childhood have lived in the country and have 

 had gardens. If, too, they have been accustomed 

 to play games with their brothers, to saddle their 

 own ponies and to act as beaters out shooting, they 

 will be all the better adapted to this new life. As 

 will be seen in the course of these chapters, there 



