BELGIUM
I am told upon good authority that although up to the present moment no schools of horticulture have been founded for ladies, the Government is contemplating the institution of one. In 1907 six young ladies joined the classes of the Government School of Horticulture at Ghent. At the Vilvorde Government School of Horticulture three young women (foreigners) followed the school training, and one of them received a diploma. Quite recently a horticultural section has been opened in the Pensionnat d’Hiverlé, and three young ladies have joined it. Belgium possesses many écoles ménagères agricoles for women, but these are more for agricultural or farming supervision.
At the Horticultural Congress held in 1907 at St. Crond (in the province of Lunbourg), M. de Vuyst read an interesting paper in favour of gardening instruction for ladies.
Mademoiselle Rossignon in her admirable private school for girls at 86, Rue Gachard, Avenue Louise, Brussels, has organised classes where gardening is taught. Here, each girl has the management of a plot of ground, and elementary landscape gardening from simple designs is shown. Besides being taught the use to which land can be put for the cultivation of vegetables, fruit and flowers, students can learn preserving and cooking fruits and vegetables.
DENMARK
I have received the following report from the National Council of Women of Denmark, Copenhagen. There are in Denmark no horticultural colleges for women only. But the colleges and schools admit women, and usually on the same conditions as men.
I.—DEN KONGELIGE VETERINOR AND LAND BOHOJSKOLE
(The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College),
Copenhagen
(Public State Institution), has also a division for horticulture. The training is chiefly theoretical, and does not include practical gardening, which must be learned elsewhere. The course lasts for two years (of two terms each), and leads up to a state examination; the candidate who successfully passes this has the title of “havebrugskandidat.”