New-York tribune., 1896-11-01
A FARM COLONY PROPOsEn
WHAT THE CULTIVATION OF VACANT
LOTS MAY GROW INTO.

RESULTS of THE WORK IN LONG ISLAND cTrx
THIS YEAR-sUPERINTENDENr KELoAARD
LOOKS AHEAD TO LARGER THINGS.
j. W. Kelgaard, superintendent OF the Free LABOR
Rureau at the Cooper Union, expresses much graft.
fcaion at the success Of the cultivation OF vacant
lots which has been carried under his direction
in Long Island City. although In some respects the
results this year are less satisfactory tnan iass
year There is doubt. however, that this mat
ter has passed beyond the stage OF experiment IN
this part of the country and II will be seen from
what Mr. Kelgaard says further on that he has
large ideas In connection with vacant'iot iarmins'
and believes that 1t will develop into most I'm.
portant agency in training men out OF work ana
willing to work to become seff-supportins. II not
Independent.
Superintendent Kelgaard was called on at MS
Office a day or two ago by representative OF The
Tribune who made a number OF inquiries concern
ing the results of this seasons work Close 70 MI.
Richards desk found two OF the men VINO
had farms assigned to them early In the season.
and who showed such skill and energy In WORKING
them and were so successful In raising crops, tnat
efforts are now being made to find Places for them
IN the country where they may be sure OF STEADY
and healthful employment. There is constant de-
mand made on the Labor Bureau for good farm
hands and men competent to do farm Work heeo
have no difficulty in finding excellent places.
One of the requisites In a good farm worker n
the ability TO milk cows-an accomplishment that
few of the ordinary class Of laborng men nave &c.
quired Its lack is a bar to their employment ~
farm labor It is Mr.. Kelgaards intention 70 sup
ply this lack possible by Keeping COW"
in connection with the vacant-lot farms, ana tnus
enable men who wish to fit themselves Tor tarm
work to learn how to milk. II is not certain thss
he will be able to carry out this plan next year.
but he hopes TO do so.
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
In answer to inquiries AS to what had been done
this season Mr.. Kelgaard said: This work mas
been carried on by the Association Tor I'M
proving the Condition of the Poor which had
the use this year of about 1i0 acres OF lana
in Long Island City belonging to William STEM
way who generously allows 1t to be used Tor this
purpose. On the farms laid out on this land l4l
families have been employed. say families, lor II
is not the men alone who work on the vacant iots:
in many cases the women and children take hand
in Il also The plots assigned to these people are
from one-fourth Of an two or three acres In
extent according to their ability to cultivate the
/ land.
.The farmers get their entire product. the total
amount Of which has been about $4,000 The prin.
cpal crop of course. has been potatoes. and' Do
sides a good many cabbages, peas, beans corn. Gu.
cumbers and other vegetables have been raised In
addition the plots assigned to FAMILIES the asso
citation undertook TO carry on farm OF aoou' tnr-
~ acres, but for various reasons that unner'dhns
\ 'A'--~
II we had taken the right course. AS IL was We
denended for the cultivation of II mainly on the
mon employed on the lots, and on account OF tho
season and the irregularity Of the work 1t DID not
turn out we'll II had paid the men regular
wages for their labor. or had sent men up ene1"
specially to do this Work, the outcome "o"iu n"'s
been different.
.'Tn tha; cs Sc the experiment would probably nave
been self-mairtaining. The association raised only
about 5000 worth Of stuff. whereas the cost OF inc
whole undertaking some 5000, so that there Ia
a deficit of S3,O0 on the seasons work. shall take
care that this does not happen again. as II can cas-
fly he avoided We paid out the money Tor superin'
,endence seed fertilizers. team, wagon. harness.
etc. We own own team. The plorghing was dons
for the men, and seed and manure were furnisheo.
The seed potatoes alone cost us 500
.Of the men who cultivated farms of this kind
last year thirty tried 1t again this year. Last year
tbere were seventy-eight acres under cultivation.
and eighty-folr families were employed. This year
we have enabled 4l families TO support themselves
I'm whole or in part. and most Of them nave Vege'
tables enough 10 last them through tie WINTER
More than that. some Of them have secured places
and will not need 10 take UP vacant-iot farming
again
THE COLONY PLAN.
Mr.. Kelgaard then spoke Of the larger scheme
which he hopes be able to enter Oh In the near
future This is nothing else than the establishment
of a farm colony. which men can be trained as
i farmers and from Wnlcn tney may DC std"uoeoos
SO to speak, TO farms Of their own.
I'VE have had Offer" The said, "of farm OK
1000 acres for this purpose in Pennsylvania 1t -
in the northern part of the State in Potter County,
in one of the best apple and fruit sections IN me
country Close It is plenty Of land which can %
| bought at low figures Now, 1t Is my idea TO es-
tablish farm colony there To this colony we Will
! send people who have worked on the vacant lots
and showed aptitude for farm work. and after they
have learned enough about farming. 1t is the inten-
ton to aid them in becoming owners OF farms On
| their own account. .,The details of the Plan nave
not all been worked out. bat an Convinced that ie
is a practicable and useful scheme. The true Idea
/ is not to help a man temporarily, or simply to en-
| able him TO tide over hard place but 10 do that
for him which will be of permanent benefit ana
help him TO be self-supportng. believe that there
Is nothing wiser than TO get people out oil the con-
gested cities and get them in contact with the SOIL
DIFFERING CAPACITIES FOR WORK
Mention being made of the different capacities OF
men for work of this kind Mr.. Kelgaard cited an
instance that came under his observation this year.
Il set an Irishman at work on vacant lot in ths
upper part of the city," he said. where he hal
nearly half an acre cultivate. The land is owned
by prominent ew-Yorker and constituted what "a
as money value is concerned. He might EASILY easily
aS s'9a & M shHH
lettuce seed and gathered up some street dirt as
very quickly The fellow thought was his lettuce
and went to work and ira 70 H. believe
went up there day and found him sitting Idle
! while an Italian was at work on the lot. When I
| asked the meaning OF II he said he had hired IN"
Italian hoping to borrow the money to pay MN: s
| while he bossed the job. OF course cleared tho
Italian out, but the lrshman made nothing OF an
exceptionally fine opportunity -
Not far from his farm a little plot or lana
worked by a Swiss woman. who was. without ex.
ception, the best farmer | ever saw, she had
/ learned I'm her own country to make the most or
every foot OF soil. and her thriftiness may De
judged from the fact that she would pun Weeds on OH
~ tbnpb bsv IN.
them and then use the ashes as fertilizer. W'th
the chance the Irishman had she would have maze
good living.
AN EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE.
rho oducattya Influence al work on the vacant