314 Home-Handict^aft Exhibits. [JUly, 



to police officers to exercise their powers and require the pro- 

 duction of licences of all stallions which they meet on the road 

 or at markets, fairs, and similar meeting places. 



•ie. -if. ^ ^ ^ if. 



At the Ministry's Exhibit at some of the chief agricultural 

 shows this year are included home handicrafts, the goods 

 exhibited being made by cottagers and 



^"Txhibur "^"""^^y P^°l^l*^- It '^een the 



Ministry's endeavour to suggest means 

 whereby the women in rural districts should be enabled to engage 

 in occupations that can be carried out at home. It was also 

 desirable that these handicrafts should be taken up by youths 

 and men during the winter months, on days when land work 

 might be impossible. Preliminary experiments proved very 

 encouraging, but they showed clearly the need of organisation. 

 Country people are in no way lacking in the enterprise or imagi- 

 nation necessary for these subsidiary occupations, but in order 

 to make them successful skilled instruction, guidance and organ- 

 isation are necessary. The Ministry has given attention to 

 occupations other than handicrafts, such as the manufacture 

 of sugar from sugar beet, but these industries are suitable 

 only in districts where factories exist. The case is different 

 with the hghter forms of home-work, as, for instance, basket- 

 making, cloth-making, toy-making, spinning and weaving, 

 the manufacture of small leather goods, and wood-work. Experi- 

 ments have already shown promising results, and examples 

 of these industries are included in the Ministry's exhibit. It is 

 not intended to set up these village industries as a rival to land 

 work, but rather as a supplement to it, and to give the rural 

 population an opportunity of engaging in interesting and 

 helpful pursuits which ma}^ be carried on during their spare 

 time. 



The practice of baling hay on the field has been known in 

 Lancashire for some years, and the experience of last summer 



suggests that it is likely to be considerably 

 Baling Hay on the extended. The baler, operated either by 



tractor or by steam engine, is stationed 

 in the field, and the hay is baled direct from the windrow or 

 cock. The bales are about 36 in. by 20 in. by 16 in., and weigh 

 from 130 to 160 lb. The hay, at the time of baling, should be 

 in the same condition as if it were intended to stack it in the 

 ordinary way. Some care is necessary in storing bales. 

 Whether stored in a stack on the spot or in a Dutch barn. 



