Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25
MEANS OF SELF HELP
Practicable and Helpful Form
of Charity.
THE CITY GARDENS
MOVEMENT RECENTLY INAUGU-
RATED PROVES SUCCESS.
The Workers Have Vegetables of Their
Own Raising-Plans for
the Future.

What is believed to be one of the most
practicable and helpful forms of charity
ever devised In this city is being carried
forward by the City Gardens Association.
Self help for those who can't work In
usual business is the guiding principle
of the association. In furtherance of this
the association has secured permission
from various owners of vacant lots to
transform the land into vegetable grow
Ing gardens. These gardens are allotted
to deserving folk and are worked by
them. Thrift. industry and self-support
are some of the results The association
is in its infancy, but the success of the
plan has been remarkable and the citi-
zens Interested are encouraged to look
forward TO wider scope of usefulness In
the near future.
This movement was inaugurated in April
last, when a largely attended meeting
held at the Shoreham Hotel and the
question was ably presented by Mr. r. F
Powell, superintendent of the Philadel-
phia Vacant Lots Cultivation Association
VINO was most enthusiastic over the re-
suits achieved in the Quaker CITY Com
missioner Mcfarland presided at the
meeting, and the following officers were
elected: h. Fl. Warner. president; c. F.
Nesbitt, first vice president; Prof B. II
Galloway, second vice president; Rev Zed
II. Copp. secretary. and Charles +. Howe
treasurer. The board of managers was
chosen as follows: Henry B. F. Macfar-
land. b. H. Warner. b. T. Galloway, Alex.
Graham Bell, Charles F Nesbitt Waltar
C. Clephane, Zed II. Copp. Mrs. c. d. Mer-
WIN Miss Susan b. Sipe Charles E Howe
and L. c. Corbett Charles NJ, RartIett
was named as superintendent of the gar
dens.
The Sites Selected.
Several sites We're offered for gardens
a ffar MT,
one on the grounds of the proposed rnu-
nicipal hospital at Brightwood avenue and
Richmond street, one south of G street
between 10th and 18th southeast near the
Congressional cemetery, and the third he
tween and and 18th and 18th streets
southeast These grounds were divided
INTO elghty-six garden plots, all of which
tdNe peeh taken The gardeners vary
from boys who learning a practical
means of livelihood to the aged coIorad
woman, spending her last days in use
fulness.
After the association has secured permis-
sion from property owners to use the va
cant ground. the land Is plowed and put
IN good order Seeds are furnished rec
TO all who cannot afford to buy them A
majority or the eighty-six gardens allotted
SO 1ar have been taken by colored people
although there are twenty-one white gar
deners All are greatly interested in their
WORK. number of boys have formed
X.
proving. 1t is said. among the best gar
deners the association boasts Their plots
are neatly kept and their vegetables are
we'll advanced. They work every chance
they get out of school hours. and now
that vacation days have come will spend
the greater part of their time In cultiyat-
ing the little square of land over which
they have been granted temporary DrO-
pretorship. Several Of the boys who now
have the best gardens formerly had the
reputation of never having done a days
work
Many OF the gardeners are old colored
folk. some too old to do any other labor
They spend most Of their time In the COR
dens and will tell you they won't have
10 go 10 the soup house" this winter. tor
they will have turnips. beans, potatoes and
other vegetables right in the house
NOT all or the gardeners are dependent
people Some of the boys especially ere
laos or good families. whose parents are
anxious that they should learn this hon
est means Of thrifty livelihood There are
boys who need outdoor work to improve
their health and strength. and who would
not live long If compelled to find employ
ment indoors.
Have Their Own Vegetables.
The gardeners are now using radishes.
lettuce, peas and beans from their gardens
They gather the vegetables fresh every
morning and in few weeks will have
potatoes, sweet corn. lima beans and later
sweet potatoes. cabbage and an abundance
OF tomatoes and other vegetables All of
the gardeners are sociable and get along In
neighborly fashion They often help one
another to cultivate their plots.
The lands now used for gardens were
formerly barren lots some of them used as
dumps and most of them unsightly Now
they are neate gardens planted with an
assortment of vegetables. For four or five
months of each year the gardens yield all
the vegetables the family of the gardener
can use. The association hopes to secure
more AVAILABLE lots and to have the financial
assistance that is needed to put the land
in some sort OF shape for the gardener
Next year 1T Is hoped that gardens will be
available for all who have applied.
The present allotment to one family Is a
garden OF one-eighth of an acre, which
measures fifty-two by 1O4 feet. In case a
family wants NOR, space. and the size of
the family justihes 1t and the first garden
is properly taken care of. the association
hopes to be able to allot additional frac-
ton of an acre. The superintendent Mr..
Bartlett, and his assistants are practical
gardeners and they do all they can to help
and to instruct each gardener how to pre-
pare the land for the seed and how to plant
and cultivate the vegetables.
The Work Outlined.
In speakinR of the work of tina citv