Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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Women's National Agricultural Association. President—Mrs. Francis King, Alma, Mich. Corresponding Secretary—Mrs. S. H. Vollmer, Huntington, N. Y. Treasurer—Miss Louise G. Davis, Ambler, Pa. A national association of women interested in horticulture and agriculture has been formed by the express wish of (a hundred of) those who were present at the Horticultural Conference held at the School of Horticulture, Ambler, Pennsylvania, May, 1913. The objects of this association are to promote interest and success in horticulture and agriculture by the exchange of information among its members; to bring together supply and demand both by produce and of labor, and to increase the knowledge and use of existing institutions. As a means to this end it is hoped that a general secretary be employed, conferences of a practical nature may be held, local exhibitions be encouraged and printed matter distributed. Women horticulturists in Europe have succeeded through co-operation. Will you become part of the forward movement in America by helping to upbuild this national association. The membership dues are $1.00 a year. The initiation fee is $1.00. $2.00 may be forwarded to the secretarv. Address Mrs. S. H. V. Huntington, N. Y. A Cold Reception to a Would-Be Horticulturist. The fourteenth of January, ninetcen-fourteen A little red owl in the maple was seen. She looked very wise With her big round eyes And said: Pll be a student of horticulture, I ween. Now young Miss “Britain ’ who among us resides, Disapproved of a student with such big eyes. She picked up a stone And with skill all her own Hurled it at this stranger of diminutive size. So little Miss Owl with amazement untold Backed into her nest from a reception so cold, And said with a sigh, Oh me, and oh my! Strange welcome indeed, but no grudge will I hold. C. G. P.

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do the men. Horticulture as a means for women to make a living appeals to me very much, and I believe that women will make better horticulturists than men, and that the bread-winning in many homes will be vastly improved if the men remain at home to mind the baby and let the wife attend to the garden and horticultural work.” “Women make best gardeners, and no garden is complete without them,” so said Mr. H. B. Fullerton, Director of Agricultural Experimental Station of Long Island Railway, in his address at the annual meeting at the School of Horticulture last May. Mr. Fullerton is one of the foremost exponents of the entrance of women into scientific horticulture and it is his opinion that no subject is of greater interest than that of food production. It is even of greater moment than the high cost of living, for it is one of the factors in the solution of the problem which draws the line of demarcation between life and death. As neither man’s nature nor man’s education develops the qualities so vital to the growing of vegetables, berries, fruit and flowers, and raising of animals, we must rely upon the women for the proper management of our gardens, farms and orchards. In a letter the Right Rev. David H. Greer, Bishop of New York, says: “I give herewith my very cordial approval to a school of horticulture for women. It is a kind of industry for which they are, in my judgment, especially fitted, and it is gratifying to know that a school has been established to give them the necessary training for the skillful prosecution of this useful and important work.” Last summer, the resident Director, Miss Jessie T. Morgan, made a tour of the Horticultural Schools in England, to see how the school work was being carried on where they had been long established. She believes that tlieday has dawned for the woman gardener. In England the increased number of professional women gardeners is remarkable and graduates of many of the schools are now managing their own estates or are managers of private and public gardens. In glass gardening women were found to have made greater success than men, and in some lines have made independent incomes. Miss Morgan attributes this to the fundamental training received at the horticultural schools. One is impressed with the wastefulness of land in this country as compared with the utilization of even the smallest bit of land in Europe, and there surely must be much more scope for the woman gardener of the United States than has been realized. The School of Horticulture for Women was established about three years ago by club and college women of Philadelphia, who saw the need for such a school in this country. The idea is to give a thorough practical training in such branches of horticulture as will fit women for a life work, either as teachers or managers of gardens for themselves or for others.

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School Notes. One and three-quarters of our Wise-Acres raised $2000 worth of strawberries a year ago. Blasting has been holding our attention for the last few weeks. The students’ orchard has been progressing in fine shape and as soon as the weather permits the trees will be set out. The number of apple root grafts made by the students ought to fill a good-sized orchard in the future. At the meeting held for the purpose of organizing a National Woman’s Agricultural and Horticultural Association, an invitation was given to hold the first meeting of the new organization at the school, probably in May. The invitation was accepted. Afternoon tea attracts some of the students more than a hearty dinner. The cottage is the scene of this social event. Miss Exley’s “apartment” being the rendezvous. We never knew Cleveland was such a flourishing city, but now we have it fully impressed upon our minds. One of our most brilliant students hails from there. Framingham, Mass., is also a place where people dwell. There is a good product from there, who has arrived in our midst. Strange how we never realized we were tongue-tied or lisped until we were told to give the scientific names of the greenhouse plants. The lectures given by the Garden and Orchard Club of Germantown have been most enjoyable. We were very much gratified to have Mr. Fullerton show pictures of the school in his lecture, which gave an idea of just what was going on out here. The last month brought us several invitations to visit some of the lovely places near Ambler. Among them was one from Mr. Warner, of “Ellenwood Farms.” Prize Guernseys and fancy poultry were among the attractions. On January 23d we went to Mr. James Burke’s at Olney. Miss Ethel Burke showed us the greenhouses and told many interesting facts of how the different plants had been obtained. There were many exquisite specimens. One house was extremely beautiful, fitted with fascinating pale pink butterfly orchids from the Philippines. We also saw a very fine collection of gold fish and a hatchery under glass. Bull, the prize fish, who seemed to respond when spoken to, was very proud to be handled. Bobbie, the walking perch, afforded us great amusement. Recently, at the beautiful greeenhouses at North Wales, Mr. Fuersten-burg, the enthusiastic president of the Florex Company, made our visit very