330 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  27,  1898. 
public  an  excellent  article  at  a  moderate  price.  We  fear  the  small 
manufacturer  would  be  “  nowhere”  in  the  race. 
Lady  Warwick  wishes  to  form,  in  various  parts  of  the  country* 
settlements  for  women,  where  they  may  grow  fruit,  flowers,  vege¬ 
tables,  poultry,  eggs,  and  honey.  Does  she  mean  that  these  women 
are  to  cultivate  the  necessary  land  totally  unaided  by  male  help,  or 
are  they  to  be  only  supervisors  ? 
We  pass  on  now  to  the  cost  of  this  education.  The  complete 
work  of  training  necessary  to  obtain  a  Leading  College  certificate 
extends  over  two  years,  though  special  courses  may  be  taken  for  a 
shorter  period.  Now  the  fees  are  for  the  two-years  course  as  under: — 
Tuition  and  board  for  thirty  weeks,  £50,  with  laundry  extra;  for  the 
special  courses,  25s.  per  week,  with  laundry  extra. 
The  reader  will  see  that  the  intending  student  only  works  for 
thirty  weeks,  thus  leaving  the  board  and  lodging  of  twenty-two 
weeks  to  be  provided  for  elsewhere.  A  woman  cannot  get  board  and 
lodging  for  much  less  than  15s.  per  week  =  £16  10s.;  add  to  that 
laundry,  dress,  and  other  expenses.  It  will  be  plainly  seen  that 
women  of  moderate  resources — approaching  to  strained  circumstances — 
cannot  possibly  enter  on  this  course.  Thoughtful  women  who  have 
the  necessary  means,  but  nothing  to  spare,  would  naturally  hesitate 
to  spend  so  much  on  an  untried  scheme.  Supposing  a  woman  has 
passed  successfully  through  her  two-years  course,  who  guarantees  her 
employment?  What  chance  is  there  of  it?  Very  little  indeed,  to 
our  way  of  thinking. 
There  is  a  notice  to  special  students — those  who  are,  or  hope  to  bej 
landed  proprietors,  and  who  wish  to  get  a  little  insight  into  agriculture, 
or  to  go  through  some  special  course  of  training.  Those  ladies  with 
money  to  spare  can,  of  course,  spend  it  as  they  choose,  and  we  would 
much  rather  see  them  invest  in  this  essentially  speculative  scheme 
than  that  their  less  fortunate  sisters  should  run  the  risk  of  further 
diminishing  their  already  too  limited  resources.  Our  sympathy  with 
ladies  of  small  means,  and  our  desire  to  see  them  in  more  comfortable 
circumstances,  are  at  least  equal  to  that  of  Lady  Warwick,  and  just 
because  it  is  so  we  tremble  to  think  of  the  consequences  to  the 
majority  of  them  after  this  sixty-weeks  tuition — namely,  not  certain 
and  increased  prosperity,  but  possible  bitter  disappointment. 
As  for  the  settlements  scheme  it  looks  very  well  on  paper, 
but  the  women  to  sncceed  must  possess  unusual  strength  of  character* 
for  the  difficulties  to  be  surmounted  are  herculean.  We  do  not  say 
they  cannot  grow  flowers,  fruit,  vegetables,  eggs,  and  poultry,  but 
will  they  be  able  to  find  a  remunerative  market  for  the  same  ?  Can 
they  get  themselves  into  touch  with  the  consumers  without  recourse 
to  the  middleman  ?  We  shall  anxiously  watch  the  growth  of  this 
movement.  We  are  not  captious  critics,  but  have  honest  convictions 
and  feel  it  a  duty  to  express  them.  We  know  how  hard  it  is  to  make 
a  start  in  a  new  direction,  and  how  for  one  successful  venture  we  may 
count  on  100  failures.  We  do  think  a  few  students,  farmers’ 
daughters,  or  intending  farmers’  wives  might  be  greatly  benefitted  by 
taking  a  special  course  of  subjects,  but  few  could  find  time  for  a  two- 
years  course  or  the  money  to  pay  for  the  same. 
A  e  do  not  see  it  stated  who  is  going  to  find  the  capital  for  starting 
the  settlements  project — the  settlers  themselves,  Lady  Warwick  or  her 
wealthy  friends  ?  We  should  not  advise  any  poor  gentlewoman  to  put  her 
money  into  such  a  scheme  unless  she  had  some  very  ample  security. 
To  opulent  women  with  leisure  this  way  of  pleasantly  spending  time  and 
money  may  commend  itself,  but  to  those  who  must  work  hard  for  daily 
bread  the  plan  presents  too  many  difficulties  without  sufficient  pro¬ 
spect  of  tangible  result. 
[Seeing  that  the  writer  of  the  above  cursory  review  of  the  Countess 
of  Warwick’s  excellently  intent  ioned  scheme  is  a  highly  educated 
scientific  and  practical  farmer,  intimately  acquainted  with  most  of 
the  minor  subsidiaries  alluded  to,  we  are  bound  to  attach  weight  to 
the  opinions  expressed ;  and  we  can  scarcely  resist  joining  in  the  hope 
that  the  hostel  will  be  mainly  filled  and  replenished  by  “  gentlewomen 
who  are  or  will  become  landed  proprietors,  and  who  wish  to  study 
agriculture”  in  its  various  aspects  as  treated  in  a  collegiate 
institution.  As  regards  “work  for  women  in  vineries,”  it  is  a  fact 
that  the  former  practice  of  employing  them  during  the  Grape-thinning 
season  has  been  discontinued  by  practically  all  the  greater  and  most 
successful  growers  of  fruit  for  market.] 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
We  have  had  a  splendid  rain,  and  at  last  are  able  to  plough  with  some 
feeling  of  satisfaction.  Uneasy,  impatient  farmers  have  been  scratching 
at  the  soil,  and  although  they  have  altered  the  appearance  of  the  fields 
we  do  not  consider  that  they  have  been  ploughed.  The  Wheat  may  be 
got  in  a  week  earlier  than  that  on  the  land  which  is  still  to  plough,  but 
we  would  rather  choose  the  latter  to  produce  a  crop.  On  the  former  there 
must  be  a  difficulty  in  getting  the  seed  properly  covered,  and  we  should 
advise  a  liberal  allowance  of  seed  corn,  for  the  birds  are  sure  to  claim  a 
good  share. 
There  has  so  far  been  a  very  poor  demand  for  seed  Wheat,  but  now 
rain  has  come  a  change  should  come  o'er  the  scene.  We  are  thrashing 
some  of  Scholey’s  Square-head,  which  is  a  good  Wheat  for  good  deep 
soil,  but  is  not  suitable  for  thin  or  light  land.  Carter’s  G,  or  Stand-up, 
is  a  very  good  Wheat  for  very  rich  soils,  but  we  find  it  too  short  in  the 
straw.  Whether  straw  be  sold  away  or  used  on  the  farm  the  difference 
between  a  large  and  a  small  straw  stack  is  a  consideration.  Webb  s 
White  Queen  is  well  spoken  of,  and  is  suitable  for  light  soils. 
Potatoes  being  all  lifted,  or  practically  so,  we  must  see  that  the  stores 
are  made  safe  for  the  winter.  Any  heaps  not  yet  soiled  over  must  be 
examined,  and  if  the  straw  is  found  to  be  wetted  through  a  layer  of  dry 
must  be  placed  beneath  next  the  tubers  before  the  soil  is  put  on.  Where 
already  soiled  up,  but  left  a  little  open  along  the  ridge,  the  straw  may 
have  got  very  wet  along  the  top.  A  cap  of  dry  straw  had  better  be  put 
across  the  ridge  and  covered  with  soil,  except  about  6  inches  along  the 
top.  This  will  keep  out  any  further  rain,  and  the  natural  warmth  caused 
by  the  sweating  of  the  heap  will  soon  dry  the  wet  straw  beneath. 
It  is  seldom  that  the  top  of  a  Potato  pile  gets  injured  by  frost.  The 
damage  is  usually  done  along  the  foot.  It  should  always  be  seen  that 
an  extra  thickness  of  straw  is  put  on  there.  Some  farmers  put  straw 
lengthwise  next  the  tubers  for  a  foot  or  18  inches  near  the  ground,  and 
then  the  ordinary  thatching  perpendicularwise  above,  but  wrapping  quite 
over  it.  An  extra  thickness  of  soil  is  also  useful,  but  not  so  safe  as  the 
extra  straw. 
Turnips  look  very  yellow  in  the  top,  and  we  fear  the  rain  has  come 
too  lale  to  do  much  good  to  many  crops. 
OUR  LETTER  BOX. 
Farm  Implements  ( Constant  Reader). — You  have  not  complied  with 
our  requirements  in  sending  your  name  and  address.  See  the  instruc¬ 
tions  “  To  Correspondents  ’  on  a  preceding  page.  It  is  not  journalistic 
practice  to  prepare  and  insert  free  advertisements  for  non-advertisers. 
We  will,  however,  send  some  particulars  if  you  like  to  forward  a  stamped 
directed  envelope  for  the  purpose,  as  it  is  our  pleasure  to  oblige  constant 
readers  in  any  way  we  properly  can. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS 
Camden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  51°  32'  40"  N.;  Long.  0°  8'  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day 
1898. 
October. 
®  s’? 
2  “  ®  (Hygrometer 
go'S 
9  (M  , 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
Shade  Tern, 
perature. 
Radiation 
Tempera¬ 
ture. 
Rain. 
cS  ® 
Dry. 
Wet. 
1  foot 
Max. 
Min. 
*Al1 
Sun 
On 
Grass 
Sunday 
Monday  .... 
16 
inchs 
29-060 
deg. 
49.7 
deg. 
48-6 
NT. 
deg. 
52-1 
deg. 
55-9 
deg. 
47  -9 
deg. 
66-3 
deg. 
47-7 
inchs. 
0-297 
17 
28-937 
56-2 
54-1 
S. 
52-4 
63-9 
49-4 
85-2 
45-3 
0-411 
Tuesday  — 
'18 
19 
28-822 
53-6 
53-6 
s. 
53-3 
60T 
53-6 
88-4 
47-9 
0-424 
29-382 
54-8 
52-1 
s. 
52-9 
56-3 
49-2 
63-3 
69-4 
42-2 
0-053 
Thursday  . . 
Friday . 
Saturday. . . . 
20 
29-765 
50-4 
49-1 
w. 
52-8 
59-4 
46-1 
39-1 
0-261 
21 
29-628 
59-4 
59T 
s.w. 
52-9 
65-3 
51  -9 
76-9 
47-3 
— 
22 
29-924 
60-3 
59-2 
w. 
55-0 
63-8 
58*6 
09-9 
55-2 
0.045 
29*360 
54-9 
53-7 
53.1 
60-7 
51.0 
74  -2 
46-4 
1-491 
REMARKS. 
16th.— Fair  morning,  a  little  faint  sun  at  noon  ;  rainy  from  3  P.M.,  and  heavy 
rain  at  night. 
17th.— Sunnv  morning,  showers  at  3.30  P.M.  and  4.30  to  5  p.M.  ;  damp  evening. 
18th.— Heavy  rain  in  small  hours  and  from  8  a.m.  to  11  A.M.  ;  sunshine  from  noon 
to  1  P.M,,  and  fair  after. 
19th. — Rain  from  4  a. si.  to  7  a.m.  ;  dull  and  damp  day,  with  rain  at  intervals. 
20th.  —Sunny  morning,  with  solar  halo  ;  overcast  afternoon,  rain  in  evening. 
21st.— Almost  continuous  rain  till  9  a.m.  ;  fair  mild  day,  damp  night. 
22nd.— A  little  sun  early  ;  dull  from  8  A.M.,  with  occasional  drizzle,  and  showers 
in  evening. 
A  week  of  high  temperature  and  heavy  rainfall,  hut  not  devoid  of  sunshine. 
The  first  week  with  more  than  an  inch  of  rain  since  September,  1897 — 
G.  J.  Symons. 
