Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1907-10-26
H0TBED FOR WEEDS.
Vacant Lot Transformed Into a
Fine Garden.
FLOWERS WITH VEGETABLES.
Kansas City Man Had Been Moving
Weeds For Sake of the Neishbor-
hood When an Idea Came to Him.
How He Carried II Out.

Unsightly patches of weeds on lots
md by the roadsidcs are an abomina-
ton to any town. How they can be
destroyed and waste places turned into
beauty spots is shown in the following
experience Of n Kansas City man:
Hundreds of vacant lots In the resi-
lcnce districts OF Kansas City are
overgrown with weeds simply because
the owners don't reside ON them and
the agents don't care Very often per
CO.'S who occupy homes on adjoining
lots cut these weeds Of Their own ac-
cord lecauSe they have pride in their
ncichhorhood and know that the of
Tending vegetation cannot be got rid Of
in any other way. says the Kansas City
Star
When Percy Smith moved to his pres
ent home at 220 Brooklyn avenue n lit
tie more than two years ago there was
4 vacant lot across the street which
was overgrown with weeds and an
cyeSore to the neighhorhood. Mr..
Smith moved the weeds and kept them
moved. Last year he continued the
practice.
But when last spring came Mr..
Smith adopted new plan.
There's no need of my doing all
this work for nothing" he said. II
may just as we'll be getting something
out of it,
Then he hunted up the owner and
told him what he had done The own
er willingly gave Mr.. Smith permis-
sion to use the lot. provided he kept
the weeds down.
How Mr.. Smith used this permission
is best evidenced by the appearance
of the lot now He has accomplished
a transformation for which the neigh
bors say he should he extended vote
of thanks.
AS soon as tie ground was in condi
ton, after the weeds had been de
stroyed, Mr.. Smith hired man to
plow It,
The man who handled that plow
never saw farm" said Mr.. Smith,
"and consequently had to spade 1t
all over again, and at that had to pay
the alleged farmer 81. 80 for his work"
The ground prepared, Mr.. Smith
transplanted number of hardy flow
ers from his own yard. bought flower
seeds and arranged flower garden
In the front end of the lot. He
planted a row of red cannas, bed
of oxalis 6 by 10, bed of violets and
dahlias, portulaca, touchmenots. pc
tunlas, nlcotiana, prmroses, holly
hooks. aSterS sweet williams and
cosmos. A long row Of sunflowers
form the background for the flower
garden, and back of tn ,Se is the vege-
table garden.
This vegetable garden has been the
source of supply for Mr.. Smiths table
nearly the entire spring and summer.
He has had all sorts Of truck vege-
tables and has supplied the neighbors
with some. Here are some of the
things he has grown: Potatoes, to-
matOes, beetS. three fourth buShel of
beans, three e-fourth bushel of turnips,
carrots, squashes, sweet corn and
popcorn, two dozen cucumbers and
more to come and mustard greens.
The corn Is in the silk now and will
soon be ready for the table.
And all this has cost me less than
S5," said Mr.. Smith. "The plowing
was $l.5O, and the seeds, know,
haven't cost me more than two or
three dollars at the most. have
worked in my garden during spare
moments before and after office hours,
and that has done me lots of good.
And what has been the result? First
of all l have had all the vegetabl
necessary for my table. The flowers
have been distributed in hospitals, and
even then | have had enough for my
home and office and plenty for the
neighbors. But one of the best things
accomplished was the Improvement
Of that lot. l have killed two birds
with one stone, don't you see"