GAEDENING FOR WOMEN 35 



satisfaction, it may prevent other employers from 

 engaging lady gardeners. This should not, how- 

 ever, be allowed to discourage or intimidate an 

 applicant for such a post. There is no doubt 

 that a lady, with superior education, tact and 

 taste, should succeed where many men have 

 failed. It must be borne in mind that the em- 

 ployer's pleasure has to be studied, and that the 

 men will have to be managed with firmness and 

 strict fairness. Where these points are carried 

 out intelligently, the success of an intensely inter- 

 esting career is fairly secured. 



If possible, it is advisable that the duties 

 should commence at Michaelmas, which is the 

 beginning of the agricultural and horticultural 

 year. If a start is made in the spring, most of 

 the praise or blame that ensues during the re- 

 mainder of the horticultural year belongs by right 

 to the previous gardener. 



Autumn and winter are the seasons for laying 

 a good foundation, for forming plans, and clean- 

 ing up. " Well begun is half done," but it is 

 more than " half done " in gardening. Unless the 

 winter foundation is correctly laid, the summer 

 superstructure will be wrong, or there is a chance 

 of there being no structure at all. 



The first thing for a lady " head " to do is to 

 have a good look round. She must see what crops 



