th the
agricultural exhibits of the St. Louis Exposition, as uncovered
to my view in performing the duties of a juror, especially in
regard to the greatest problem of the twentieth century, namely,
in regard to irrigation and its future possibilities for our
various States and Territories. You will understand, of course,
women had no part in the various governmental works where land
has been reclaimed and converted into the finest farming lands
known to this era, but in the results which followed such
reclamation the farmer's wife and daughter has been seen and
felt everywhere, although no percentage of women's work was
noted in the exhibits examined by Group Jury No. 78.

Germany, Italy, Belgium, and France were prominent, and the
States of Utah, Montana, California, and Louisiana gave most
satisfactory evidences of advanced progress by irrigation in
farming methods.

In the Belgian exhibit we were shown the beautiful and
remarkable flax grown in the irrigated districts, the material
from which the finest lace, known as the Brussels product, is
constructed. If the investigation had been pursued to the limit,
every benefit, or profit, or financial opportunity resulting
from the improvement of farms, abroad or at home, touches
somewhere the lives of our farm women in comfort and happiness.

Our jury passed upon the magnificent exhibit made by the State
of Missouri in the Agricultural Palace--the finest State exhibit
known to this continent--up to date in agriculture.

The construction of an elegant lay figure, made entirely of corn
shucks and corn silks, representing a lady of style and fashion,
was the handiwork of a woman and richly deserved the prize that
was awarded.

Group No. 78 being confined to general lines, and covering the
idea of farm improvement on an extended scale, grasping, as it
were, the great and fundamental principles of modern
agriculture, the work of the sexes was not indicated by the
exhibitors. The percentage of each was not required by
instructions given to Group Jury No. 78.

It gives me great pleasure to thank you and the board of lady
managers for kind attentions, and the opportunity for pleasure
and instruction in this group jury work, and to assure you that
it was my constant aim and purpose to prove to my colleagues and
to C