The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-12
THE POTATO PATCHES.
Statement and Appeal Of Committee IN
Cultivation OF Vacaa Lots SPOON eded.

| The public are invited 10 inspect the farms
| being cultivated under tho supervision OF tho
committee on the cultivation of vacant land.
| They cover about Is acres in all, about two OF
| which are planted to help defray expenses.
| The lots are situated a. follows:
Five farms on the corner Of ontario and
| Broad stroets on land gwen by Mr. Bernard
| McGuinness and Mr.. Robert Brayton; one
| farm on the corner of Grove and Ridge
| streets, given by Miss 5. j. Eddy; five farms
| on the corner Of Gladstone and River ave-
nues, given by West Providence Land Com
pany; two farms on Oakland avenue, given
| by Mr.. Amasa Eaton; five farms on Oakland
| avenue, corner Eaton street, given by Mr..
Amasa Eaton; six farms Duncan avenue,
| given by the Butler Duncan Land Company; /;
| five farms on Summit avenue, given by Mr..
| John Morris: seven farms at Swan Point,
| given by Swan Point Cemetery trustees; to-
| tai, 10 farms
ANY pleasant day or evening the farmers
| and their families may he seen at work fight
| ing weeds and potato bugs or watering the
| plants.
II eas thought wise TO require hpf the
| land 60 be planted with potatoes, and the
| committee are not sorry that the crop W IL
| be late, rs it was specially designed TO meet
| the needs of the coming winter.
The men have been allowed to plant the
| other half with their own choice of see !, and
| the taste has varied from cabbages, beans
| and beets TO pickles and pop corn.
As groat difference is displael in the
wa the men work. Some have been farm
| hands before and feel happy and at homo on
| their farms after the long day in the factory.
| Others are plainly novices, but the majority
! have worked we'll and are stimulated by q
| pleasant spirit of rivalry, although always
ready TO give neighbor friendly advice and
| help.
| only two Of the lots have been taken avn y
| from those to whom they were originally as-
signei and given TO more thrifty men. In
| both casss the men from whom the lots were
| taken have received aid until they no longer
care for an opportunity to help themselves.
| No lot has been assigned without a knovl'
edge Of the circumstances of the family. Some
of the men are now earning good wages and
| trying conscientiously to pay up the debts re-
sulting from tho long winter Of idleness or
slack work, and finding il well nigh impos-
sible to save for the coming winter. The
men of this stamp are thankful for the
chance to earn their own little store of food
! and to be spared the necessity of asking for
| and another winter.
Quite different type is represented by a
man who has received much aid and was told
that all future help would be refused unless
he improved this chance 10 help himself. He
began the work in grumbing, halt hearted
way, but has become so interested that his
farm bids fair TO yield the best harvest of all
The nationality of the 80 men who have re-
| ceived farms i as follows: One Italian,
sootchman, wedes 3 Euglishmen, IA Irish
| men and Is Americans.
The average length of residence in
Providence is 1917 years. Only one man
has been in tho city less than one
year The average number OF people
| in a family is g. The total number OF
people represented is 2l8. Twelve II the
families have no work at present. Ttonty
four of the families have one or more mem
bers working ON full or part time. The av'
| erage earnings per week in the families al
| work Ss.0S The average rent paid, 81 40 per
month. Twenty one men have had more OF
less experience in farming. Fifteen men
have never tried farming before and are be-
| ing trained by the superintendent.
| FUNDS.
The S57l.50 received has been spent as fol.
| lows