18 AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATION 



Addressing a general meeting of delegates of the Canadian 

 Women's Institutes, Mr. James, Deputy-Minister of Agri- 

 culture for Canada, said : — 



It is only a few years since we made the sensational discovery 

 that a farmer had a wife and family. For the first time, I believe, 

 since the beginning of civilisation, we have begun to occupy our- 

 selves with a definite plan for farm women, from the point of view 

 of science and education. I know of no movement that promises 

 so well for the future and for the general well-being of the land as 

 this. It is neither in the stables nor in the fields that we find the 

 real centre of farm work ; it is within the four walls of the home. 



Institutions of a kindred type have, as will be shown later, 

 since been organised in Belgium, where they have attained 

 to a considerable degree of success. 



In France, itinerant schools have been set up with the 

 object of affording instruction in various agricultural and 

 domestic subjects to young women in the rural districts, 

 with a view (i) to giving to those instructed a greater 

 inducement to remain in the country ; and (2) to rendering 

 them better qualified to take their part efficiently both in 

 agricultural and in domestic life. The instruction given, 

 either under the direction of departmental professors of 

 agriculture or by skilled lady teachers, includes such sub- 

 jects as dairy work, gardening, and care of animals, together 

 with a wide range of household duties. Encouraged and 

 subsidised by the French Ministry of Agriculture, the schools 

 are also fostered by the agricultural co-operative societies, 

 some of which have organised ladies' committees to help in 

 the carrying on of the work. 



Influence of Clergy. 



Agricultural organisation has here been spoken of as being 

 essentially of democratic origin, both the original founders 

 and the prime movers in subsequent developments being 

 mainly found among the class directly benefited. 



In this respect the movement bears a strong resemblance 

 to those great thrift, friendly and distributive co-operative 

 societies which were no less created by the people for the 

 people. 



