The women that are wanted at once, to prepare
themselves for this great work, are those who in
their childhood have lived in the country and have
had gardens. If, too, they have been accustomed
to play games with their brothers, to saddle their
own ponies and to act as beaters out shooting, they
will be all the better adapted to this new life. As
will be seen in the course of these chapters, there



GROWERS' COLONIES 115

is no hardship in a gardener's profession other than
that of rough weather, but on the other hand great
happiness is obtainable by the freedom from all
artificial surroundings, the fact of getting back to
the very root of things which comes from close
contact with Nature, by early hours and an open-
air occupation.
It may be suggested that this sort of life is
monotonous and self-centred, that its social attrac-
tions are limited because these ladies would not be
able to meet and exchange ideas with men of their
own social standing. It is, however, the opinion
of many that when this war is ended all the present
conditions of life will be altered, greatly simplified
and improved . Although it is impossible to foretell
with certainty what will happen, it appears likely
that many men will take up agriculture, fruit-
growing, forestry, and market-gardening as pro-
fessions.
