GARDENING FOR WOMEN 9 



fellow students across the flower beds. Then, too, 

 fixed school holidays, which are necessary in large 

 communities, sometimes interfere with the possi- 

 bility of seeing certain operations performed. 



I therefore strongly advocate a course of 

 manual work, like that of the garden boy, as 

 an introduction to more serious training. This 

 routine work will enable the pupil to understand 

 college lectures, when the time comes to attend 

 them. Theoretic teaching can then be applied 

 to the treatment of soil and plants. 



Not possessed of the strength and facility 

 for manual work of a man, the girl student must 

 make up for this deficiency by intelligent reason- 

 ing. She should follow closely in the footsteps 

 of science, and have a reason for each operation. 

 What is heard in the chemistry laboratory has to 

 be applied in practice in the garden. When the 

 dismal herbaceous border, upon which so much 

 money has been spent, is seen, the cause of failure 

 will be known. After all the talk, trouble and 

 expense, why does it lack colour ? Surely some 

 ingredient in the soil is missing — dress it with 

 lime, put more manure or leaf mould, as the case 

 may be. 



I believe that some people imagine that a 

 lady gardener is intended always to remain at 

 work amongst the swept- up leaves and garden 



