This plan is, briefly, to employ on the land women from the pro- 
fessions and from the seasonal trades — college graduates and vmder- 
graduates, teachers, milliners, workers in artificial flowers, and so on. 
These women are to be gathered in camps of from ten to fifty or 
more, under competent leadership, and will be sent out from the 
camps singly or in squads to work on neighboring farms. 
This plan secures proper housing, supervision and pleasant social 
conditions, the lack of which in the past has been the chief obstacle to 
the employment of women on farms. 
We are all aware of the acute and urgent need for agricultural 
workers. Unless effective steps are taken to meet this need, the food 
shortage next year will be calamitous for us and for our alHes. 
In England 300,000 women are working on the land and have 
shown beyond doubt that women can substitute for men in most 
farming and gardening operations, to the benefit of their health and 
the satisfaction of their employers. Experiments in our own country 
confirm this result. 
A short trial overcomes the prejudice of farmers against women 
workers, whom they find more rehable and conscientious than the 
average day-laborer; while out-door life, and the good fellowship of a 
camp are a welcome change to the city woman. 
Each such camp is a centre of education for both employers and 
workers, and wUl be the starting point of other camps in succeeding 
seasons. 
Many of the women volunteer from patriotic motives, and all 
work with more enthusiasm through knowing that their work is needed 
jp « for the food production of the country. 
^4s 9i Every Garden Club has the opportunity of taking an active part 
- ♦ in this most necessary and patriotic work, by establishing such a farm 
*** unit in its neighborhood. 
'""'V^ It is singularly appropriate that Garden Clubs should take up this 
fcL ti task, both to increase the food crops of the country and also to bring 
to other women the joys and satisfactions which all true garden 
Jovers find in working with the earth and with growing plants. 
Benefits in health, in spirits and in outlook, well-tended fields, 
M)rchards and gardens, willing hands to plant and to harvest, all make 
_ this a work most worthy of the efforts of those who have loved their 
^ . Cown gardens and have found in them help and strength. 
■^»- America needs a Woman's Army on the land to raise food for 
-the nations. Will the Garden Clubs help? 
••i\, Suggestions to the Clubs 
The President of each Club is urged to appoint a Committee, to 
take charge of this work. The Chairman of this Committee is asked to 
"^ f^ommunicate at once with the Chairman of the War Work Council. - 
