194 WOMEN IN CANADA 



ready to be dried. The manager of a neighbour- 

 ing fruit factory generously offered to dry the fruit, 

 and, given this incentive, the women managed in 

 six evenings to have six hundred bushels, which 

 when dry were sent to the Belgians. This is a 

 proof of what co-ordinated workers can do. 



The above is only a brief outline of the valuable 

 progress that is being made across the waters in 

 making country life assume the high position which 

 it should take in every country and which women 

 can effect so materially. Much of what I have 

 described, and a great deal more besides, was told 

 us in a lecture by a charming Canadian lady, and 

 the moral of what she imparted is perhaps best 

 found in the words of our King, who said, " The 

 strength of the Empire lies in the homes of her 

 people." 



My students sat entranced whilst these fresh 

 inspirations were scattered before them, for they 

 felt not only that they were wanted for manual 

 work, to grow supplies of flowers, fruit, and vege- 

 tables, but also that still higher motives were to 

 guide their efforts. By studying these fresh ideas, 

 making them known throughout England, and 

 perhaps assisting to form Women's Institutes, it 

 was within their power to help to establish people 

 happily on the land and prevent urban interests 

 from gaining too great an ascendancy over rural 

 ones . A representative of the Agricultural Organisa- 

 tion Society, who came with Mrs. Watt to introduce 

 this honoured guest to us, summed up what was 

 expected of them by saying, " We want each one 

 of you, even if for a time it may be only in a small 



