HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR WOMEN. 99 



stand the garden, both as to fruits and flowers, and no less the 

 poultry yard, the apiary, and even the sheep-fold ; for attendance 

 on these would be a kindly, womanly work for woman ; and all the 

 animate dumb creations of Heaven should welcome her steps. 



Excepting that leading to the cultivation of the land, every 

 avenue in life now seems broadly opening to woman. The liberal 

 professions are becoming more and more accessible to her, through 

 the enlightenment of public opinion, inclining to justice, and 

 partially giving her a chance to do what she will do, if she ma^^ 

 Yet it is with much difficulty that she gains a foothold in them, and 

 the jostling of her brothers is rouglier than she likes. Crowded 

 avenues they all are ; though in the higher rounds of labor, and 

 in the ranks of the brain-workers, there is always room for more ; 

 and where there is great talent, if there be given a certain amount 

 of education, the talent will effectively develop itself. 



There are young women whose souls are wrapt in study ; who 

 have genius, and who aim to be teachers of high degree, and 

 artists, and doctors ; yes, and lawyers. There is no difficulty in 

 finding the educational training for these ; the high schools and 

 colleges, the art schools and museums, offer it freely. And there 

 are women who would delight to wear the student's cap and gown, 

 and are begging to be admitted with their brothers to Harvard and 

 Yale. But, really, those fitted for such careers are few and far 

 between. We hear only of the successful ones ; man3% many of the 

 woman brain- workers have failed in these higher undertakings. 

 When it became necessary' that they should win a support by their 

 learning perhaps they found the talent had been wanting — and 

 no amount of education can make a genius — or the work was 

 too masculine, or not womanlj^ enough ; and, unless driven by dire 

 necessity, a cultured woman shrinks from the great push for places. 

 And, alas ! often she shrinks also from great responsibilities, or 

 from paths not sanctioned by the schools and b}' the opinion of 

 the public. 



The woman who owns a farm and carries it on does it shyly, 

 and as if she had no right to do it ; and the girl who is quite at 

 home in her father's conservatories and hot-houses, understanding 

 the culture and knowing the botanical names of all the plants, is 

 a wonder to her companions, and seems not quite one of them. 

 Yet, how many a weai-y, heart-sick girl whose whole life has been 

 spent amidst brick walls longs for a work in the green fields. 



