New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-25

moro remuneratiye work when he can lie can
,Iso live nj his old home in the city, and' WIN.
ont the lisk undertaken by all asricui'uiai
colonies for the unemployed both in this couh-
trv and abroad. can get many OF the adVah-
tocos' which those colonies offer. transports
tIon Of families and inadaptability to country
life are the two great obstacles u 'ne
of that method of charity
Tho nIan in view IS not an untried one. last
vcor Il was put in operation in Detroit with
',.oo+ succoss That city has about 10000 I'M
oliIIed 1aborers. mostly foregnborn Last
spring owners Of some 1000 city iols' "oou'
l2o acres). which lay unoccupied ana uhcui'i-
vatcd in the outskirts of the city. placed 'iiei'
ot the disposal of n committee. Inc io's were
nIouched. narrowed and staked OIL INTO oHe-
ouartcr or onehalf acre plots. About o'ooo ap-
nlicotions to work them were received. MAN!
had to be turned away, but 30 familles were
nrovided for Seeds were furnished 1or 'hose
unable to purchase for themselves. Onuer the
snperyision Of the committee the people planted
cultivated and harvested their crops. DeuucunS
the value Of the ploughs and other implements
but including the cost of breaking grouiu'
which would not have to be done again. 'he
cvpense per plot was about So 40. About hihe
tenths of the pieces were well cared Tor. Inc
nrincinaI crop was potatoes, and it was found
.hot one.thrd of an acre would raise enough OF
thes, TO last family through the winter anu
r,.,isb vccetablos in summer This compares
fovorably with the intensive Chinese farming
,,toro in q better climate and with good fer
.u;yi,r q sixth OF an acre is considered the
,,,in,,nun for the entire support Of one person
The estimated value of the crops prodiceu WIS
over So, 600. which all went to the poor "oiN
org and the entire cost to the committee WIS
only $1,000 The Detroit experiment answered
several questions which arose. Inc preulc'eu
Wholesale robbery did not take place even on
unfcnced land. Most of the needy were fouhd
ready TO work There was no difhculty III get
ting land The idle, sun-baked city lois wheh
ploughed up proved capable OF returns WHICH
made their cultivation worth while.
The problcm in NewYorll IS more dliilculI
Postmaster Dayton. 1t is true, reports that there
ore II 800 vacant lots (over 1000 acres) IN ms
c,tv hollow Onc-hundred-an forty ifth-st. ana
tbe Harlem River but n great part or tnat not
now cultivated by gardeners and "squatters' Is
rrobobly TOO rocky TO be useful There Is, now
over not too far away for diligent men to reach
much vacant land which might be cultivated
# Is pitiful to see land lying unoccupled in
homes Of n rise IN value when men might WIN
ont loss 10 the owner be making 4 living on 1t.
Acres Of land on Long Island. which few
Years ago produced abundant crops for the mar
Let Gardener now lie covered with cans ana
hotties waiting for the real estate dealer to dis-
nose Of them. \ large amount or suitable Eihu
has been offered 10 the committee 10y Mt VIII
lam Sielnway, and there should be no dithcui'y,
If more is needed, in finding plenty OF Sood SOL
for the experiment If work is begun early IN
the spring. much comfort may be brought 10
many needy families.