neighborhood to produce and conserve vegetables and fruits, and 
during the summer much work was accomphshed by the members 
in the canning kitchens. In Stockbridge an interesting experiment 
was made through the Food Conservation Committee by forming a 
Girls' Patriotic League to work on the land, chiefly in planting, weed- 
ing, thinning and picking, at fifteen cents an hour. Forty-three girls 
were enrolled during the summer, both from the villages and from 
cities, and though for the most part new to the labor, the work done 
and the girls' health were equally good. Mrs. H. McBurney, by 
whose efforts the Guild was started, says that in the young American 
girl there is a fine patriotic enthusiasm and vigor the country would 
do well to make use of. 
The first meeting was advertised by the Food Conservation Com- 
mittee as a Girls' Patriotic Rally, and it was explained to them that a 
strip of land for a vegetable garden had been offered the Committee 
and they had been unable to accept it, as no one had been found to 
work it. The possibihty of their being able to do it was suggested 
and immediately twelve girls offered to enroll and the land was 
secured. The first meeting of the Guild was then held, at which more 
girls enrolled. Each girl was given a bronze medal to wear and the 
organization of the Guild was made as simple as possible. One officer 
was to attend to the enrollments, keep the Hst of names, and any one 
requiring the girls' services was to apply to her. Another was to look 
after the transportation arrangements for girls who were to work 
at farms beyond walking distance. These posts were at first taken 
by members of the Conservation Committee, but as soon as practic- 
able, they were given to the girls to increase their responsibility and 
pride in the work. The garden was worked by a team of four girls 
every day, each one of whom was captain by turns during the month. 
Papers recording the girls working and the work done, and also of that 
done elsewhere, were read at the weekly meeting, and careful records 
were kept of the work accomphshed by each member during the whole 
summer. In that way interest was not allowed to flag and each girl 
felt her work was noticed and appreciated. It was largely owing to 
these meetings that the spirit of enthusiasm was so weU kept up. 
One girl was selected to be superintendent of the garden, and several 
of the younger ones were delegated to sell the produce from house to 
house. Another girl undertook organizing parties to pick blackberries 
and blueberries, getting volunteers and arranging for motors, etc. 
As the Guild grew larger, an executive committee of the girls them- 
selves was formed, consisting of a chairman, treasurer and secretary. 
The work was chiefly on farms and vegetable gardens. It was difficult 
at first to get city girls to take it up, but they soon grew keen about it. 
