Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-12
Flowers and Vegetables to Be
Cultivated.
ASSOCIATION FORMED
FIRST STEP TAKEN FOR EXPERT
MENT IN WASHINGTON.
Committees Appointed Respectively to
Petition Congress and to Secure
a Superintendent.

, The first active step toward the establish
ment of flower and vegetable gardens on
the vacant lots and other unimprovcd prop
erty in the District of Columbia was taken
today when Mr.. b. H. Warner. president
Of the newly organized City Gardens Asso-
citation appointed a special committee of five
Ito request Congress TO permit the tempo
rary use. under the supervision of The City
Gardens Association. OF. such vacant public
property rs may be available
The committee is composed of:
. Mr.. w. V. Cox. chairman; Mr.. ". G.
Clephane. Prof b. r Janney, Mr.. ]. II.
Ralston and Miss Harding.
The appointment of this committee wa"
the direct result of resolution adopted
unanimously yesterday afternoon by spe-
Cial committee of the associa ton which met
at the New Willard Hotel. with Mr.. Warner
presiding. The committee also passed a
resolution requesting tie chairman to APP
point committee of three to recommend
SCme person suitable to assume the position
OF superintendent. II having been impossible
to obtain the services of Prof. Powell, who
has conducted the work so successfully in
Philadelphia.
( This committee was also appointed today
by Mr.. Warner. ond consists of:
Mr.. Charles +. Nesbtt Prof. Corbett and
Prof. Galloway.
! In the d .scusson of the subject Mr.. c. +.
NeSbit said he believed it would be better
to have a superintendent who resided here,
ii would give the entire scheme more
of local color and further, that local
man would be in constant and better touch
with the progress being made. This SEEM
ed to be the sense of the meeting, and 1t
ordered.
Government Lands Not Available.
/ At the meeting held week ago this spe-
cial committee asked one of it's members,
Prof B. T. Galloway of the bureau of
plant industry of the Agricultural Depart
ment to ascertain whether the govern
ment lands on the Potomac flats could be
secured, and what would be the cost OF
seed and other necessary paraphernalia In
cidental to the work contemplated. Prof
Galloway was unable to be present yester-
day afternoon but a report on the matter
was made by Prof L. c. Corbett. also or
the Agricultural Department Prof Cor
bett said the flats are under the control or
the War Department and could not be oc-
cuped for the purpose of gardening With
out special act of Congress. He said the
authority could not even be granted by the
Secretary of War.
I have no doubt" continued Prof Cor
bett, that if these lands are not available
a sufficient quantity of land, equally as
good and equally If not more accessible TO
those who wish to conduct such farm OPP
erations, can be secured by application to
private individuals owning vacant proper
ty in the immediate vicinity OF the habita-
tonS of the persons likely to De engaged
In the work | believe that If this matter
were properly presented to the owners or
vacant property. showing to them that the
occupation is only temporary. that the
crops can be removed on comparatively
short notice. and that the land would be
actually improved from the standpoint or
garden or lawnrnaking purposes, there
would be no difficulty in securing the use
of such vacant lands"
Cost of Preparation.
Prof COrbett then gave some other data
prepared by Prof. Galloway. showing that
the cost of preparing an acre of ground
for gardening would not exceed 81. He said
the variety of vegetables which could De
raised include lettuce. radiSheS, peas, bush
beans lima beans, cabbage, beets. carrots,
potatoes. tomatoes, spinach turnlps, GU
cumbers and potato onions He suggested
that two-fifths of the area could be planted
In potatoes and the remainder proportioned
among the other vegetables.
LAS provided in this scheme, said PrOr
Corbett the cost of seed for a one-eighth
acre garden would be in the neighborhood
of 81 The prices which have been used
/ for this computation are the retail prices
given in the catalogue. and are undoubtedly
considerably higher than the seed actually
can be secured for from some reliable seeds
man. who might be interested in the work.
In fact, ! am of the opinion that the cost
of the seed could be diminished 30 per cent
If the scotsman knew for what purpose 1t
was TO be used
This scheme provides for practically
continuous use of the land throughout the
whole wear the early crops to be succeeded
by second and third crops during the grow
ing season and the late maturing crops
to be followed by crops which are carried
over winter and can be harvested in the
early spring. thus utilizing the land
throughout the whole year. making every
foot of it carry at least two paying crops
during the season. and a portion of ii three
crops.
Value of Products.
Just what the product of such an area
might be actually sold for it is difficult to
estimate. but / am inclined to think that
in the neighborhood of $50 to $50 worth
of material could be produced on this
eighth of an acre. so that for person who
has time at his disposal which cannot prof
itabiy be used in any other way very
considerable return could be made by en-
plOying il in the maintenance of such a
garden, besides having the luxury of fresh.
crisp. first-class. wholesome vegetables
People of the class who would be benefited
by such an arrangement are usually those,
who. il they have vegetables at all, depend
upon those which are largely inferior in
quality discarded by the truckers and
hucksteTs.''
estimate placed the annual profit on one
eighth acre garden at about $23 or APP
proNlmateiy $50 per acre per year.
The Work of Pupils
An interesting statement was made in
general discussion by Miss Susan Sipe of
the Normal School Miss Sipe said her pu-
pills had already made some progress in
work of this character. only their efforts
had been confined to flowers instead of to
vegetables The object of teaching this
work to the Normal School pupils was that
they might be equipped TO teach vegetable
and flower gardening to the children when
they take charge of the lower graded
schools. She said last year the government
gave small amount of seeds To the chill
dren for this purpose. but this year. wish
Ing to make the children more responsible
and induce them to take Il greater interest
in the work. she had recommended they be
asked 10 pay for the seeds a the rate of a
penny package. Under this scheme more
than 5000 packages already have been
contracted for with local dealer and the
number may be materially increased She
made this explanation merely to show on
what scale the work was progressing in her
department
Pamphlets of Instruction.
Secretary George S. Wilson of the board
OF charities suggested that the committee
take steps To obtain a large number of
pamphlets which will explain to the pro-
spective city farmers how To plant yegeta-
bles and how TO take proper care of them