The record-union., 1897-07-16

de Kay, United States Consul-Generai
to Berlin, by whom it was sent to Boil
ton Hall, Chairman of the Executive
Committee Of the vacant lot scheme OF
New York.
By the regulations of the German
charity officers, the tillers of vacant
land in and around Berlin must plant
their whole area with potatoes, for the
reason that this crop is less affected by
the nature of the seasons. In this
country it has been insisted that the
greater part of the land be devoted to
potatoes, but not the whole. Herr Tour
bic refers to the scheme throughout
his report as the potato culture" The
failure Of the scheme in Berlin is the
most important information contained
however, is local. and although the
same causes may operate likewise in
New York, it will be many years be-
fore they will interfere with the success
of the enterprise. In Berlin the scheme
Of potato culture by the poor was es-
tablished as early as 1888, and it's con-
| tinuanee until the present time is suf-
flcient proof of its merits.
Circumstances have occurred" says
Herr Tourbie, which will induce us to
give up the pursuit of potato culture at
the close Of the potato harvest of this
year. For it has been noticed that the
poor participating in the scheme no
longer take much pleasure in the dis
| charge Of the necessary agricultural la
bor as was formerly the case"
The Director explains this on the
ground that of late the fields are nee
essarily far away from the dwellings
Of the poor who are to be benefited, and
also that, as their dwellings are gener-
ally small, cellars, or other places for
storing the potatoes when harvested,
are lacking. The land available from
the nature of the soil within an access
ibie distance of the poor of Berlin is
exceedingly scarce, and daily becoming
scarcer. Herr Tourbie is of the opin-
ion that the German charity officers
| will dispense with the potato culture
| and supply the poor directly with this
staple of their food supply.
To remove from the scheme of potato
culture the feeling that il is a charity
the German arrangement is to require
each planter not only to work his own
| plot without assistance, but to pay a
contribution equal to abouot one-half
| the cost. The municipality supplies the
remainder. The planters contribution
| is paid on installments during the sum-
| mer months. Receivers of aims who
have fallen under the care of the police
are denied the advantages of the
scheme, which is intended to benefit
those householders who are in dis
tressed circumstances, and who threat
en-, unless assisted, to become public
charges
Although Herr Tourbie states that
| the scheme will be abandoned in Ber-
| lin at the end of this year, he sums
| up his report by saying the scheme of
potato culture as tried in Berlin is a
great benefit to the poorer population,
and should be continued "A feeling
of satisfaction" he writes, lis called
| forth in the planters, and their self
respect is raised. They have earned
the profit of their own exertion, and
are saved from the oppressive feeling of
having received aims. 1t is also a rec
reation for these families, who pass
most Of their time in narrow rooms, to
move and work in the open air. For
the health, and not less for the spirit,
| of the poorer classes, this open-air rec
reation and incentive toward agricult-
ure is of extraordinary importance" -
| New York Times