Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-01
GARDENING IN CITIES
Theme Discussed by Mr.. R. F.
Powell Last Night.
WORK FORUNEMPL0YE ED
ADVANTAGEOUS FROM INDUS
TRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL VIEWS.
Scheme Intended to Be an Aid to Char
ity-Unoccupied Ground to
Be Utilized.
WORK FORUNEMPL0YED

City Gardens, or the Cultivation of Va
cant Lots was the significant title OF lee
ture delivered last night In the banquet hall
of the Shorehanl Hotel by Mr.. R. F. Powell
of Philadelphia. The lecture was illustrat-
ed with stereopticon Views, and was given
In the interest of-the City Gardens Associa-
ton Of Washington. and under the joint
auspices of the National Plant, Flower and
Fruit Guild and the Monday Night Club
District Commissioner Henry B. F. Macfar-
land presided, and introduced the speaker
Others present included Mrs. Macfarland,
Engineer Commissioner John Bddle, Mr.
B. H. Warner Mr.. George 8. Wilson. secre-
tary to the Board OF Charities, and Mr..
and Mrs Charles F. Weller of the Associat-
ed Charities.
Commissioner mcfarland appointed the
following committee to perfect a perma-
nent organization of the City Garden As
ISOLATION: B. H. Warner chairman; Prof
B. T. Janney, Mrs. ]. w. Babson, Charles
F. Weller, Miss Florence Harding Walter
c. Clephane, Barry Buckley Zed H. Copp
Charles F. Nesbitt Jackson H. Ralston.
Prof. B. T. Galloway Mrs Giles Rafter
and George s. Wilson.
Mr.. Powell said that flower gardening and
the growing of vegetables by city children
and older persons, thus utilizing waste and
vacant city land has become one of the
iioSt Hopelui movements looking toward
cial betterment and uplift. He said that
last year in Philadelphia 700 families work.
ing ON 1856 acres of vacant lots, raised $50
ONO worth of vegetables, and that Detroit
Toledo and other cities have undertaken
similar schemes conceded to be of the
greatest advantage from an Industrial as
Wen as an educational point of view
Inc lecture treated of a subject practical
~ new in Washington. The National Plant
Flower and Fruit Guild in conjunction with
the Associated Charities
thing along this line, but the gardening has
been confined to the narrow limits of flower
pots. dry goods boxes and back yards, and
as the back yards of the poorer classes are
not usually extensive, the idea cannot be
said to have been carried out on any large
scale.
Mr.. Powell's Object.
I Mr.. Powells scheme is to obtain the use
Of every vacant lot in the city, and make
farmers and gardeners out of the city's
poor. A little pamphlet which he distributed
last evening bears the significant caption,
Seif-help for those who can't work in usual
business He believes the project a boon
TO old men and women who have outlived
their usefulness in their respective trades
or Industrial callingS, and for invaids and
cripples who, but for the gardens, would be
dependent upon the city's charity. The
entire scheme is intended only as medium
of charity.
iO IndUe seven years
ago in Philadelphia, in the cultivation of
vacant lot gardens as a means of aiding the
unemployed, said Mr.. Powell, has passed
beyond the fad, or experimental stage. 1t
has become quite an important factor in
that great city's life, especially important
to the more than 1900 families whose men,
bers have sought and obtained employment
through its good Offices The belief that it
is better to show men how and where they
can find plea SAINT and profitable employment
and. If necessary. properly direct their ener-
gies while engaged therein, than it is to
give aims. even through perfectly conduct
ed channels has become so thoroughly es-
tablished as to require no argument in it's
favor. The further belief that there is an
abundance of such opportunities for employ
ment, If only the right method of opening
them up is adopted, is becoming quite firm
ly established. The vacant lots gardens
have demonstrated most thoroughly that
these beliefs are absolutely true.
I'm the great cities where thousands, even
tens of thousands, of men are constantly
idle. especially the old men-men partially
disabled, having small physical or mental
deficiency men too weak too slow, too
thoughtless, too inefficient to be OF use in
the great factories, shops. mills or upon the
railroads. In all of these great cities are
thousands of acres of idle land at the very
doors of these idle people. Why should
they be asked or forced to accept aims, or
be sent to Jail or almshOuses as Migrants to
be supported at public expense, when there
Is such an abundant opportunity for them
TO earn their own living?
Quaker City an Example.