Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-08-12
PRIZE GARDENING IDEA
Satisfactory Results From a
Scheme to Beautify Towns.
GREAT Benefit TO CHILDREN
Encourages Cleanliness and Thrift and
Develops Artistic Taste-How Lite
Can Be Made Worth Living For
hore lovinu Employees.


Develops Artistic Taste-How Life
Can Be Made Worth Living For
Homo Loving Employees.
A scheme of prize awards as an In
eentive for greater care OF yards ana
gardens by house dwellers has been
adopted by business firm In Neenah,
Wis. for the improvement OF Niagara.
one Of the paper mill towns on the
Nenominee river, In northern Wlscon-
sin.
This plan, which can be followed by
any town, marks another step In the
movement for well kept gardens rs
civic necessity. Milwaukee also bene-
FITS by such movement, and lshpe-
ming, Mich, rejoices In Il prize con-
test held annually by an iron company.
In the Niagara plan the village has
been divided into sixteen districts.
Prizes are offered OH yard improve
ment contest to cover cleanliness.
sightliness and neatness Of the prem
ises. The company in Neenah Will APP
point three men out Of town, who.
with two resident judges, will make
three inspections during the season. A
prize will be given to the yard In each
of the sixteen districts showing the
greatest improvement during the sum
mer. TO the best Of the sixteen dis
tricts a prize winners prize will b"
offered. In addition to the first prize.
there will be given cash prize TO
every family residing in the neighbor-
hood which shows the greatest i'm
provement
Seeds, plants, shrubs and trees are
being sold to the contestants at cost.
Much of the natural beauty Of the lit
tie town, which is situated attractlVely
between high bluffs. was shorn by
lumbermen and jobbers. who cut ev'
cry tree from the hills and valley.
leaving stumps and slashings as they
passed through.
Ever since the Inauguration OF the
yard improvement plan stumps and
brush have begun to disappear rapidly.
Fencing grading and the removal or
rock are doing wonders In the way or
arpearance, and thousands Of plants,
shrubs and trees are being set In.
Promising lawns already take the place
OF riot OF weed and Canadian thistle.
The women and children have benefit
ed in health by the out of door exer-
else attendant on the garden work.
and men find recreation and interest
IN working about their homes.
Niagaras army Of willing beauti-
fers promise to make their village
rival Of lshpemlng. with its annual
prize contest under the auspices OF an
iron company. The prize contestants
there are persons occupying land own
ed by the company. and number OF
classes are posted under which they
may compete. Prizes are offered for
the best kept premises. vine planting
window box planting and vegetable
gardening The company issues an at
fractive booklet with instructions In
the care Of the garden and planting
The pamphlet issued by the lshpem
ing company speaks editoriaiiy on the
subject of garden care.
I'VE find that the children in the
bones where much regard is given to
making and keeping 1t as attractive as
possible are inclined to be more home
loving and more easily interested In
the best thing" 1t says. "A boy can
have no better training than that Of
knowing how to cultivate the soil.
Many vegetable and flower gardens
have been brought to our notice show.
ing the value OF the work done by
boys and girls through the long sum
mer holidays. Many a boy and girl
have thus been able to earn their first
money and acquire Il habit OF industry
IN this work which has been help to
Them throughout their lives. There is
40 question about the benefit to the
rome or the nome life having such i'm
Iroved surroundings"
As result of this work the city Of
iShpeming presents pleasing con
traSt to the coal mining and foundry
towns OF America and Europe. 1T on.
joys the distinction Of being the best
IshpemiDg has responded enthusias-
ticnliy TO the company's invitations for
general Improvement.
The prizes. which are cash. aggre-
gate several hundred dollars annually.
There are several first. second. third
md fourth prizes IN each class. These
are for the tenants OF the company.
Besides these the president ~ the com.
pany gives prizes Of money TO the boys
and girls Of the public schools who
make the best sbowings IN flower and
vegetable gardens.
The company has fine nursery and
greenhouses. from which It supplies its
tenants at low cost.
Missionary work in the cause of gar
dpns has been carried out with salts
factory results in Milwaukee by the
Milwaukee Sentinel Outdoor Art ASSOC
citation and the Woman's School ALI
ancp. In Milwaukee the entries for
the first year were 100. This season
100 are taking part in the contest.
Many OF the native ferns. wild grave
vines and trees have been collected IN
the woods and transferred to the
yards. Three prizes have been offered.
not for the best yard. but for the
greatest improvement under prevail.
ing conditions. There are special
prizes for children and two extra
awards. one for the greatest general
Improvement and one for the greatest
S{.iy
en- and children are being made well
and strong by the Milwaukee tene-
ment movement.-St. Louis Republic.