HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR WOMEN. 101 



her natural love of the beautiful, how shall she shape her course, 

 and what is she to do? What is that land to her, incapable and 

 ignorant of its probabilities and possibilities? Where shall she 

 turn? Who will show her what to do? Is there not some one 

 who will strive to provide an opportunity for the right training of 

 such young women in home-life and horticulture? Has this Hor- 

 ticultural Society of Massachusetts a school to take this ignorant 

 little woman in, and teach her to be happy in her land — her inher- 

 ited possession ? No ! 



What have the public schools given her? A disciplined mind, a 

 clear, quick acting brain ; some knowledge of mathematics, and 

 probably of Latin and Greek ; and a slight acquaintance with 

 natural science. God has given her a home and land, but all her 

 school knowledge avails her but little towards caring for them ; 

 excepting the possibility that she knows how to survey her land, 

 and cut it up for sale. 



We are placed in this world not only for our own selves, but to 

 do good to all within our reach, and is there not a noble work yet 

 remaining to be done by this Society-? From all its knowledge of 

 plants and how to make them grow ; of flowers and all their 

 wonders ; of fruits and vegetables and their uses ; can it not tell, 

 and show the world of woman, how she can make the garden her 

 kingdom ; the poultry and bees her subjects ; and be healthy and 

 happy in their culture and care ? 



Does not this world-wide cry for a " new education" come to 

 rouse the lovers of horticulture, and to tell them that while they 

 are surrounding themselves with all the beauties of the floral and 

 vegetable kingdom, gathered from the far corners of the earth ; 

 while they are lavish in all that shall perfect these wonders of 

 nature, there is a great world outside, looking longingly and lov- 

 ingly on, and wishing for a slight foothold within the charmed 

 circle ; and still another, a world of indifferent young girls, who 

 need just the knowledge this Society can give them. 



And yet, how is this knowledge to be given them? The world 

 stands wondering what the new education is to be. You hold in 

 your power one branch of it, the horticultural. Give us a school that 

 shall educate young women first in humanity ; next teach them of 

 Nature, to love and understand her ; then teach them of the human 

 care they should give to the inhuman they tind around them ; and, 

 especially, teach them that to work is a heaven-given privilege. 



