The Canadian Girl at Work: A Book of Vocational GuidanceWillison, Marjory MacMurchy, Lady
History
The Canadian Girl at Work: A Book of Vocational Guidance
Willison, Marjory MacMurchy, Lady
Women -- Employment -- Canada; Women -- Vocational guidance -- Canada
A woman who is a bee-keeper writes as follows of how a woman may acquire
skill in this country employment. "A good beginning for the woman who is
to keep bees is to read Maeterlinck's 'Life of the Bee.' If after reading
such a book the girl or woman who thinks she would like to be a bee farmer
is still further interested in bees, then she may decide to go into bee
culture.
She should offer herself as apprentice to an up-to-date bee-keeper as soon
as the spring work begins and stay with him to the end of the season.
The following spring, if still inclined for the work, she should buy from
her employer two, four or six prosperous colonies of bees. If she prefers
to do so, she may take a short course in bee-keeping at the Ontario
Agricultural College, Guelph.
Characteristics which the bee-keeper needs are a cool head and steady
nerves. She should also have determination to succeed and some
indifference to pain.
Some difficulties which may be encountered are bad choice of location,
winter losses and poor seasons. There is heavy lifting to be done, but
generally a lad in the neighbourhood can be hired to come for part of
the day to help. By ingenuity a good deal of the lifting can be avoided.
The advantages of bee-keeping are a healthful, outdoor occupation which
takes one's mind off real or imaginary worries, with a certainty of small
profit in spite of set-backs and large profits in favourable seasons.
Bee-keeping is a good occupation for the woman who is suited to it, but
not every woman can be a successful bee-farmer.
When the bee-keeper's work calls for larger space she may rent outyards
from farmers in the locality. Her market is likely to be found near where
she lives. Those who know that she keeps bees will bring her orders.
Bakers use a considerable amount of honey. If the bee-keeper lives near a
good road for motorists, she may put up a sign saying 'Honey for sale,'
and the demand probably will be larger than she can supply."
A woman who moved from the city to the country is now favourably known as
a grower of flowering plants for marketing. She began as a student of wild
flowers and became a wild flower specialist. The first money she made from
flowers was earned as the result of her wish to give to a missionary
society. She bought seeds from a reliable dealer, parcelled them out in
selected varieties, and sold the packages. She also planted the seeds in
her own garden and studied the plants carefully. The occupation grew until
it took up most of her time. A larger garden was obtained and expert
knowledge was acquired gradually in the growing of perennials. The demand
for her plants grew steadily. When she made a change from a city garden to
a country place, greater expenditure was necessary, and the cost of labour
became a serious item. But the beauty of outdoor life and love for her
special work have counter-balanced all difficulties. Her business is now
well-established and successful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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