248 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



think my fair friends will be surprised to see how much they 

 can do in the vineyard; provided always, that they have not 

 more pressing duties at home as wives, mothers, daughters or 

 sisters, but wish to earn their living in a pleasant, profitable 

 and healthy manner. 



Let us begin in the winter, when the men are pruning the 

 vineyard and follow it up to the vintage. 



First, there are cuttings to make from the trimmings, which 

 the men can bring in for them, and which they can cut 

 easily, with one of the little grape shears described and figured 

 in picking grapes. This they can do at or near the farm house 

 in pleasant weather, and I have seen them cut and bundle 

 from two to three thousand per day. At the usual price paid 

 to men, where they make them by the thousand, 50 cts; they 

 would earn from $i to $1.50 per day, and I would not pay 

 them a cent less than men, because they are women, and gen- 

 erally work cheaper ; but think them entitled to full pay. 

 Then comes the tying in the vineyard, when it has been 

 pruned, and I am sure that I would be witting to pay them 

 full wages, as their deft fingers will do the work quicker, and 

 generally more accurate than men. Then comes suckering, 

 thinning and pinching the young growth, all easy and pleas- 

 ant work; tying of the young growth in grafts, etc., which 

 will continue for several months. If their bright eyes are 

 protected by a pair of goggles, they can also do the sulphur- 

 ing with a pair of bellows. This will take us nearly to the 

 vintage ; and at grape picking I am certain they can do as 

 much and as good work as men, and should earn as good 

 wages, besides all the grapes they can eat, and a glass of 

 wine occasionally to make their eyes more bright, their 

 cheeks more rosy, and their steps more elastic than they ever 

 will be in the din and impure air of factories, or in the close 

 sewing room. 



But many will say : " This may be so, but it is not cus- 



