72 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



too difficult an undertaking for the ordinary woman to assume. 

 The responsibilities, the host of widely differing problems to be 

 solved, the traveling about and actual presence upon the spot in all 

 sorts of weather, the directing of employees, are but a few of the 

 conditions which make plain the necessity of possessing unusual 

 ability both physical and mental. Only the woman who would 

 succeed in any undertaking should attempt this. I know one 

 woman in the West at the present time who is the head of a 

 large nursery business and whose identity is entirely merged in 

 that of her husband and brother. Of course in the herbaceous 

 department of the nursery business we have a more pleasing and 

 less complicated line of work. This is profitable and well within a 

 woman's province. 



So far we have been dealing with the commercial side of Horti- 

 culture. We have still the professional side to consider, and that 

 is landscape gardening. This again combines a wide practical 

 knowledge of trees and shrubs and herbaceous plants with the 

 theory of design both as applicable to the garden and grounds, and 

 of course a well-founded knowledge of architecture, drainage, 

 engineering, and a keen sense of color and form. There are in 

 various parts of this country several eminently successful women 

 landscape architects. Miss Beatrix Jones of New York, who is 

 one of the best known, has already written in a concise and well- 

 balanced manner as to the advisability of women entering her 

 profession. Through the courtesy of Miss Jones and of the editors 

 of a book shortly to be published on Woman's Work, I am per- 

 mitted to quote from these advance sheets: 



"It is a profession which no woman should attempt who is not 

 above rather than below the average of physical strength and 

 endurance, as the work swings from one extreme to another; some- 

 times meaning eight hours or more office work; making plans, 

 drawing up specifications, and draughting, and this continued for 

 several days, followed by the entire change which field work means. 

 This not infrequently involves a week's continuous work in which 

 the average day, including time spent in traveling, is twelve hours or 

 over. The engagements for field work must sometimes be made 

 weeks ahead in the busy season and must be kept irrespective of 

 weather or bodily condition, for the reason that in such work the 

 meeting must be carefully arranged beforehand in order to be 



