Evening star., 1895-04-15

adverse circumstances and full of promise
for the future.
The moral effect was in every respect ex-
cellent The volunteer system has a great
advantage over what is commonly known
as poor FARMS" because those who availed
themselves of 1t were not necessarily there
by known or classified as paupers. While
great majority of the people who worked
land under the committee were of the in
digent class, who, under the prevailing
conditions Of depressed business, are grad
ually becoming used to assistance and the
demoralizing influerce of getting some
thing for nothing, there were many who
were Industrious, hard-working laborers, re-
ceiving 75 cents or dollar day for their
work, but burdened with large families, SO
that they were glad to have chance to
make provision in this way for the winter.
The Prospect In Washington.
The adoption of the Pingree plan in
Washington is now under consideration,
and organization within the next few
weeks is possible, looking to the practical
execution of the idea for the benefit of the
large numbers Of worthy, Industrious and
unoccupied people of the city. The matter
has been brought to the attention OF the
central relief committee, it has been dis
cussed by various charitable organizations
and it may soon take shape in substantial
form.
AS a rule, in most of the cities, the man
agement of the scheme Is delegated to the
leading charitable organization of the city.
In New York city it has been given to the
United Charities, who have selected su-
perntendent, bought 200 bushels of seed
potatoes and a large supply of other seeds,
together with tools, and secured several
thousand acres of land upon which the idle
poor of the great city will be put at work.
In st. Louis the work has been taken up by
the ladies of the city who are engaged in
charitable work. In Buffalo. Toledo, Oma-
ha and Pittsburg similar action has been
taken, committees of leading citizens being
charged with the details of the work. In
Duluth, Mimi, Bishop Golrick has set the
idea in operation. In Topeka, Kan, the
municipal league has undertaken to carry 1t
out.
Comparison of Conditions.
The conditions in Washington for favor
able experiment of this method of helping
the poor at first sight seem quite problem
atical Washington is located upon half
dozen worn-out tobacco plantations, from
which, over a century ago, the potash and
phosphates necessary to make good po-
tato crop were exhausted by overcropping
without rotation. On much of the land
within the city limits and within the i'm
mediate suburbs it will be impossible to
produce crops of anything without MOST
careful preparation and fertilization. In
every direction in the suburbs are extensive
stretches of vacant lots which have been
used as dumping grounds and would af-
ford very uncertain field of operations
for the farmer, yet there are several thou
sand acres within reach of the city that
would produce results that would be worth
the effort.
Mr. Henry A. Robinson, the Statistician Of
the Agricultural Department, who lives in
Detroit ard is familiar with the operations
there last year, when asked by Star re-
porter yesterday what he thought of the
nt~fl lnNl ,.I hat
done in Detroit, said: Il think the chances
rather preponderate in favor of Washing
ton. We have never considered the land
around Detroit as very good agricultural
land. a good deal we found depended there
upon furnishing people with land con-
venient to their homes AS far as possible
that was done, yet many went over two
miles to plant and hoe their crops. You
see there is no south in Detroit. Canada
lies on that side, and the city has only east,
west and north and some people there had
to go long distance necessarily. Yet our
poor people are scattered somewhat more
than yours here, and many of them live in
the outlying portions of the city. Seriously,
l don't know as it would be reasonable to
expect your colored people here, naturally
a little indoent and negligent, living as
they do huddled up in alleys in the >heart
of the city, to go, some of them would
he obliged to, three or four miles out into
the country to attend to their crops"
The Soil Around Washington.
"As far as the soil is concerned in the
vicinity of Washington, while much of it
is absolutely worthless for agricultural
Uses, it seems to me there ought to be
enough go ID sandy land, capable of prompt
fe ertilization, that would yield good results
In Detroit lot owners who allowed their
lands to be used last year felt that they
had received benefit, rather than other
wise, in having their lands titled. The land
was left richer in character than it was
before, and in better shape to be put down
i'll grass for lawns. The same results
would be produced here. Much of the land
around Washington, now lying wholly bare
and destitute of vegetation, especially in
the northeastern portion of the District,
ought to be seeded to clover. and there is
nc better way to begin than to manure this
land somewhat and cultivate it. This would
be public benefit, a private gain to the
let owner, and a kindness to the poor man
or woman who might be assisted to get
a crop from it.
Work begins Ia Brooklyn.
The free farm workers, ais they are called
in Brooklyn and New York, began work
Thursday III Long Island City. The plots
are one-third of an acre each. Rich, phil
anthropic people are coming forward with
offers of assistance. They are willing to
help the poor tc work, when they are not
willing to make free gifts. One man has
offered to give 500 acres in the interior part
W Lie Stdte OutilSHl, III SHidh uOlulnSS, 10
worthy poor people, wto will demonstrate
by ona seasons work that they would
make good homes for themselves, and be
temperate and provident
Mr.. Kjielgaard, the superintendent of the
free farms on Long Island, said in an in
terview yesterday: These men are enter
irg the work with great earnestness
They are anxious to work, and can hardly
wait until all the frost is out of the ground,
SO that We can plough and harrow it, We
shall teach them how to cultivate the soil
in the best way, and gain from 1t every
thing that nature will give 1t will be a
combination of science and practical ex-
perience.
Fertilizers will be fed in three times, so
that the growing plants will have every
nourishment Practically two crops are to
be raised. First comes the potatoes, plant
ed as early possible In three or four
weeks turnip seed will be sown between
the burrows of potatoes, and, when the
latter are dug. the earth thrown up will
enrich the turnip plants. Then cabbages
will be set out, and every inch of ground
utilized.
From each third of an acre figure that
the minimum amount of these three veg
etables raised will be as follows: Fifty
bushels of potatoes fifty bushels of tur-
nips and five hundred heads of oabbages.
EStiua ting at low fipuraS the m rl,et DricaS