Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-26
ITS SUCCESS ASSURED
City Gardens Scheme Makes
Substantial Progress.
MEETING YESTERDAY
SUGGESTIONS OF GROUND FOR
CULTIVATION.
Question of Finances Under Co1sidera-
tion-The Project Declared to
Be Not Charity.
MEETING YESTERDAY


afternoon by the City Gardens Association
at its regular weekly meeting in the par
lors of the New Willard than had been
made at all the previous meetings put to-
gether Plans, heretofore embryonic and
tentative, became tangible, a treasurer was
appointed and many of the all-important
dollars were received. Committees to Sc
lect grounds and obtain families DESTROYS
of undertaking the farming or gardening
work were chosen, and altogether the as
ISOLATION received a sufficient momentum
to assure it's ultimate success.
The meeting yesterday afternoon was by
far the best attended since permanent
organization was effected several weeks
ago, and half hundred new members were
enrolled. Mr.. Truman Lanham, superin-
tendent of parking for the District of Co
lumbia, was elected member of the asso-
citation and was straightway placed at the
head of a committee to secure grounds.
Members of the association expressed them
selves as highly pleased with this appoint
ment, as Mr.. Lanham has spent more than
twenty years in practical gardening and
farming within the limits of the District.
Mr.. 3. H. Warner, presiding. said he be-
lieved no trouble would be experienced in
getting the use of as much Of the ground
on the Potomac flats as the associau ton
might find use for.
In this connection Mr. Lanham said that
twenty years ago he had planted and sue
cessfully grown on portion OF the Poto-
mac flats, east of the Long bridge, buck
wheat, sunflowers and good variety of
small vegetables. He said his sunfiowers
grew to be forty-two inches In clrcum-
ference, and hundreds would average
fourteen inches in diameter. Mr.. Lanham
said this ground is as fertile, for the pur-
poses intended, as any ground In the coun-
try.
Propounds a Query.
Mr.. Charles F. Weller. secretary to the
Associated Charities. was present and took
a great interest in the proceedings. He
wanted to know If the City Gardens Asso-
citation intended to cultivate only the Po-
tomac fats Mr.. Chas. F. Nesbitt wee
president of the association. replied that ne
believed it to be the spirit OF the pooy 10
have gardens in every section or the CITY, 80
that the poor people of all sections HiSh.
have the advantage offered, without gong
miles away from their respective hoHes'
Mr. Weller then suggested that TWO .ea nf
acre tracts situated in opposite sections y!
the District would be ample. 1t was ureeo
Inv another member that separate gardens
would be required for the colored anu WIl.e
population, and after considerapie a. gu
ment and many counter propositiohe, ~ mas
established as the sense OF the us
although no definite action was taken, INA.
fonr ten-acre tracts be obtained, ana tlitie
all the efforts and energies OF tne aSso 1885,
ton be concentrated upon 'hi'
space. oxner,ence in this
class of work in Chicago" SAID MI "s
"and / know that if you start On .a.ree
scale you are unable TO attain eho. If;sh.
of success which Is essenuai III e.l
mo permanently a work OF this Sol |.
think 1t would be better TO COMING -
selves to forty acres this season, anu man
it an unqualified success, ratnei i.a a,a 80
undertake to cultivate an unlimited area;
ond sncceed with some gardens ana Iali
with others. .o,,na, on
South Capitol street, but Mr.. Lanna" ,,eea
blamed that this ground has been USED
for all sorts of purposes, has been aug anu
filed in. and is composed chiefly OF bricks
and old tin cans. With this foundation,
Mr.. Lanham thought, notmn ns,o Soo OF ca ~.
tus Mr. Nesbitt mentioned ground III
Holmead Manor, between Whitney and
Ivdecker avenues and this tract will prob
ably. be selected for one OF the safoen
tracts.
Brightwood Avenue Tract.
Mr. Lanham said the tract on Bright
wood avenue, which has already been Of
fered the association by the District Com
missioners, until such time as they want
to erect the proposed Municipal Hospital
contains about ten acres and is GOOD
ground 1t is probable that another OF the
gardens will be situated at this point. An
other location favorably cons dered Is out
in the vicinity of the District jail. There
are a great many families living in this
section who would be glad of an opportu-
nifty to grow their own vegetables, to say
nothing of an opportunity to sell to some
of their less energetic or more wealthy
neighbors The poor in South Washington
will either have the use of the Potomac
flats, or a more convenient tract will be
provided. There seems to be no rc.ty OF
available ground, particularly If the asso-
citation decides to limit itself to forty acres
during the first year.
The question of appointing a superinten-
dent was then discussed. Mr. Nesbitt, in
the absence of Prof. Corbett, who is chair
man of the committee to recommend a
superintendent said the committee had de-
cided to make two suggestions-one that
Prof. Dakin. now teacher of manual train
ing in the Jefferson school, and a practical
farmer and carpenter. be selected as resi-
dent superintendent. at a salary to be de-
termined upon by the association and that
Prof. Powell Of Philadelphia be employed
as visiting superintendent. to visit Washing
ton occasionally and assist in getting things
started on a practical basis. Mr.. Nesbitt
said as Prof. Powell had achieved great sue
cess in the Quaker city with the vacant lots
gardens he would know just what to do
and how to do it. He said he believed
money could be saved by taking advantage
of Prof Powelrs experience.
MI. Weller's Theory.
Mr. Weller disputed this theory. He said
the association needed only the services of
a practical gardener and not an organizer
He believed Just as much could be accom-
plished without Prof. Powell as with him,
for the present season.
ut seems to me-" continued Mr.. Weller
"all we need is a couple of committees,
one to get the ground and the other to get
the families to work the ground. The as
ISOLATION will get the seeds and the tools
and any practical gardener can give all the
Instructions necessary for these forty acres.
When we spread out and have 800 or 400
acres under our supervision. it will be all
very we'll to talk of an experienced or
ganizer. In the meantime / think We can
attain much success. on smaller scale
at much less expense"
Several motions carrying out Mr.. Weller's
idea We're offered. but no action was taken.
it being decided to give the members
week to think over the matter. The next
meeting will he held Friday, April 1, in
the pariors Of the New willard.
The question of finances was next taken
UP and Mr. Nesbitt said he believed $500
would cover the expenses of the associa-
ton for the present season. The best
method of obtaining this sum, he thought.
would be to increase the membership ask
ing n s.minip1,lm fee" Of from