Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-09-06
BACK YARD GARDENS
SCHOOL CHILDREN TO BE INTER-
ESTED IN THE WORK.

Flower seeds VIII he Distributed In
the Kansns City schools and Prizes
offered For the Hest Adorned Yards
and Lawns.
Many towns and villages are so laid
out that the back yards show up almost
as prominently rs the front yards. II
the former are not looked after, the
whole beauty of the place is spoiled. A
good plan is to have inexpensive flower
gardens in the back yard and let the
children attend to them. This will not
only help to beautify the town. but will
be fun for the little ones and teach
them things about flowers and plants
that will prove of value to them.
DO not make the mistake Of select
ing plants difficult to manage. Choose
the harder sorts-those which have
the reputation Of being able to take
care Of themselves pretty we'll. Keep
the soil open about them. II this Is
done, you may have very good sub
stitute for the garden which possibly
you have seen growing under more ia
vOrable conditions. Encourage the
children to work In 1t daily. Flowers
are safe companions.
The womcns auxiliary of the Manu-
facturcrs' association of Kansas City
has undertaken new effort in the d.
rection of making that city good
place to live in. says the Kansas City
Star. The members Of the auxiliary
propose to interest school children in
a crusade to adorn the back yards,
windows and lawns with growing
flowers. They have secured the CO.
operation of the school board to the
extent that the schoolteachers may he
used as an instrument to carry out
the desired end. The teachers will Sc
cure the names of the pupils In the
primary grades who will pledge them
selves to plant the seed and care for
the plants.
Packages Of seed will be distributed
among the school children ut the nOmi-
nal price of cent package. Special
prizes will be offered for the premises
showing the best improvement as the
result Of the chldren's efforts In flOri-
culture. In cases where the premises
are too small to afford ground space for
the cultivation of the flowers prizes
will be given for window boxes show
ing the prcttiest flowers.
1t may be that the plan will work out
to such an extent that an exhibition Of
the flowers grown by the school chill
drcn can be made in some Of the school
rooms soon after the opening of school
next fall The members OF the auxiliary
are actively at work perfecting the de-
tails OF this scheme. They expect to
have the seeds ready for distribution
within n very short time. as soon as 1t
would be expedient to begin flower cul-
ture.
Special attention will be given to
downtown districts, with view to
putting little touch Of nature in the
gloomy corners where squalOr and filth
now prcdominate; but. while the pri-
mary object Is to make the bare and
forbidding parts Of the city blossom.
yet the movement will be carried out
In all its details in all parts of the city
where school children can be Interested
in the new project.
uc IldI Dttn SuCCtSSluIiy "Ol N
ed OH large scale I'm number Of cit
ies In the country of much less popula-
tiOn than Kansas City. The annual
flower show at Convention hall has
aroused a widespread interest in the
growth of fine flowers and plants. and
the movement now begun by the wOm-
ems auxiliary will take the interest to
circles that would scarcely feel compe-
tent to enter the lists for competition
in the more elaborate mission Of the
big flower show.
Some Of the seeds that will be dis
tributcd by the auxiliary are those Of
flowers and plants that were so famil-
iar in more or less rural districts ten
or a dozen years ago. The list includes
balsam, bachelors buttons, calendula.
callopsis. California poppies, four
O'clocks. marigold. morning glories, pc
tunias. vcrbenas and many other va
rieties.