PARK AND CEMETERY 
416 
structor of Free Hand and Mechanical Drawing, and 
Miss Laura Blanchard Dawson, daughter of Jackson 
Dawson, of the Arnold Arboretum, Instructor of Ag- 
ricultural Chemistry, Botany, Arboriculture and Ge- 
THE GARDEN WALK, SEEN FROM THE LIBRARY AT LOW- 
THORPE. 
ometry. There is a course of lectures on landscape 
gardening by James Frederick Dawson, who will also 
direct the development of the grounds (i6 acres) at 
Lowthorpe as an object lesson for the students. This 
marks a new departure in the way of opportunit}' for 
training for women and seems to promise well. INIrs. 
Low is a member of the American Park and Outdoor 
Art Association. 
The following opinions of landscape gardeners and 
landscape garden authorities suggest food for thought 
in this connection : 
Miss Wilkinson says : “I decidedly think that land- 
scape gardening and, indeed, all work connected with 
gardens, is good for women, but the}' must be regu- 
larly trained for it and have a taste for it, or it will be 
mere drudgery. To the born gardener, the lover of na- 
ture and of country life, the pursuit of horticulture will 
afford the happiest, freest, most congenial of profes- 
sions.” 
Mr. O. C. Simonds, of Chicago, thinks that “women 
should find landscape gardening congenial employ- 
ment. They seem to understand as readilv as men how 
to arrange plants artistically. Perhaps there would be 
limitations to their work, since some knowledge of en- 
gineering, — of grading land, constructing roads, etc., 
is necessary as a basis for the best work.” (Flere it is 
but just to sa}^ that if women take the time and 
money to obtain really adequate training, they 
may easily master these details of engineer- 
ing. Miss Wilkinson has told me personally 
that while she usually has an engineer do her 
surveying, she is capable of doing it herself if 
the need arises. Wdiat one woman has done, others 
may accomplish.) "There are cases, however, where 
real pictures may be made after roads and walks have 
been constructed. If women are willing to devote 
sufficient time to the study of plants and their arrange- 
ment, I see no reason why they should not succeed as 
well in landscape work as in painting, drawing or 
sculjiture." 
Mr. Warren H. iNIanning sees "no reason why there 
is not the same ojiening for women here as in nearly 
every other profession, provided thev are not afraid 
to handle dirt, and if they will apply themselves to 
gain the necessary knowledge of soils, plants and 
methods of cultivation. I can conceive of no pleas- 
anter occujiation. Whether they can ‘manage’ men 
as garden assistants, or in lieu of this find other 
women who can and will do the heavy manual labor 
aud drudgery, is a problem that can only be solved 
as presented. Women can succeed in this jirofession 
only by the same means that men have succeeded, — se- 
curing knowledge, skill and exjierience through years 
of study and ])ractice in actual work. At present in 
no course of horticulture or landscaiie architecture that 
GREENHOUSE. FROM VERANDA, LOWTHORPE. 
is open to women can they gain the knowledge that 
may lead up to a complete master}- of the profession 
of gardening or landscape design.” (This opinion is 
dated November, 1901.) 
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