New-York tribune., 1908-04-06
POTATOES IN THE PARK
TO GROW NE4R FIFTH AYE
Viii Be Raised on 1906, 900 an
44cre Land to RejuUendte Sol.

44CT6 Lana 10 h6JUC6Hdt6 DON'
Potatoes in Central Park!
Experts from the Department Of Agriculture
in Washington have recommended the growing
OF potatoes or corn in Central Park. in order to
get the soil in the city's great pleasure ground
into the right condition so that grass will grow
luxuriantIy. Park Commissioner Henry Smith.
Tho has just received a special report from the
governments experts, is likely to choose pota-
toes, because the growing tops will not obstruct
the view, while corn might.
Just who will get the potatoes next fall is
something that Commissioner Smith will decide
when 1t comes time to dig them Just what
potatoes would cost on ground worth $1,0000OO
an acre, like that in Central Park. if the city en-
gagged in potato raising for profit is something
that almost dazzIes the imagination. Only the
directors of the Farmers Loan and Trust Com
pany would be able to purchase them in guam
tity. one potato would be worth as much as
large lobster or a terrapn and the tubers prob
ably would be sold as costly souvenirs. The
potato bugs which chew up the leaves and vines
will constitute the real arstocrats of bugdom.
The horny handed farmers on Long Island will
doubtless indulge in a hoarse "Hawt haw.
when they read that the city is going raise
potatoes in Central Park in order to get back
good sod
1t is a rather serious probIenl-that of restor
grass will flourish. It is so much of problem
that Samuel Parsons, the landscape architect,
estimated that if the old plan of covering the
ground with fresh, rich mould was continued it
might cost the city $1,000 900 or 100000
Those are not the exact figures. but in a general
way the proposed resoiling with mould would
amount to about the latter sum.
In these days, when Father Knickerbocker's
pocketbook is somewhat hattened and the native
is shouting for subways, it is not easy to raise
money for the mere growing of greener grass
In order TO get around the necessity of spending
a large sum Park Commissioner Smith called in
H. J. Wilder and Howard s. Reed, soil experts
Of the bureau Of soils in the Department Of
Agriculture. OF all the suggestions made by
these men the one that stands out prominently
is potatoes and corn. After general remarks
concerning the condition OF the park the re-
port of Wilder and Reed says:
The park is beginning 10 suffer some deterio-
ration in soil conditions as rhe inavira bI ras,1-
OF keeping a single variety of vegetation grow
ing for some time in the same locality. Just as
in general agriculture soil conditions suner if a
given crop is grown continuously upon the same
heId- Inc lawns are usually growing upon light
soils in which sandy materials predominate
these soils naturally suffer from the summer
drOuth. When grass or shrubs have been plant
ed il hos usually been found necessary 70 give
an application OF some form Of mould In most
cases this dressing has not been repeated in sub
seQuent years In localities where steep en-
ba nkments have been made the lawns have suf-
fered from erosion. Proximity OF shade trees to
the lawns is another factor which is harmful TO
the grass, inasHuch as the water dripping from
the branches and flowing from the trunks OF the
trees often contains tannin and other substances
harmful to the growth of vegetation.
Owing to the adverse conditions OF the soils of
Central Park, due 10 the character of the ma
terial used in the processes Of filling. grading
and regarding the material having been bought
by contract at different periods Of different Men
and then covered by so-called mould, which has
most often been a dark brown sandy loan, fine
sand or IN some cases, nne yellow sand no
one course of treatment should be prescribed as
a panacea for existing i'll conditions, and where
further surface covering OF mould Is needed no
one kind is suitable TO apply in all places
The character Of the underlying material, or
subsoil. should be understood in order to make
the present soil conditions of the park intellgi-
BILE During the processes of regarding and sur
face soil management which obtained until re-
cent years Il great variety Of filing material has
been used Ofttimes this was Of the most non
descrpt order consisting Of rubbish dump max
ter tin cans. broken Creckery, pieces of wood,
broken stones. street sWeepings, broken bricks
from fire ruins, coal ashes and cinders the soil
removed when cXcavating cellars. water washed
sand etc The soils added. furthermore have
usually been applied in layers one above another.
Had all the materials been suitable this would
have worked no harm, but in many cases these
adjacent bands of soil have been so extremely
different in texture and quality as TO interfere
seriously with the capillary movement of the
moisture within the soil and to initiate against
the most successful growth of plants shrubs and
| trees.
| The open areas have generally been left in so /
so long that there is some difficulty experienced
in keeping them smooth and in retaining de-
sjrable gra sscs and eliminating undesirable ones
The frsr difficulty might be aIIeviated somewhat
at least by rolling the ground when moist but
not muddy. The second difficulty can best be
solved it is believed by judicious ntroduc-
tion of some titled crop for a brief period such
as Dotatoes corn. the former being less OBJ
| iectionable possibly 70 the public because less
obstructive to the view Then when the soil
has been we'll manured with stable manure, for
| haV provided
thoroughly subdued and put in good tth by the
processes Of cultivation II will be in good condi-
tion for reseeding. with reasonable assurance If
re esta blishing for a considerable period lawn
of great attractiveness.