West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-07-29
PRIZE GARDENING IDEA
Satisfactory Results From a
Scheme to Beautify Towns.
GREAT BENEFIT TO CHILDREN

Encourages Cleanliness and Thrift and
Develops Artistic Taste-Aow Life
Can Be Made Worth Living For
Home Loving Employees.
A scheme OF prize awards as an iu-
ccntlve for greater care OF yards and
gnrdcns by house dwcllcrs has been
adopted by Al business firm I'm Necnah,
Wis, for the Improvement OF Niagara.
one OF the paper mill towns on the
Menominee river. In northern Wlscou.
sin.
This plan, which can be followed 10y
any town. marks another step Ia tho
movement for well kept gardens as n
civic necessity. Milwaukee also benc-
nts by such movement, and lshpc-
ming Mich, rcjoiccs I'm prize con
test held annually by an iron company
In the Ningaru plan the village has
been divided into sixteen districts.
Prizes are offered on n yard improve
ment contest To cover cleanliness.
sightliness ana ucatness OF the prem
iscs. The company In Necnah will APP
point three men out OF town. who.
with two resident judges. will make
three inspections during the season. 4
prize will be given TO the yard in cnch
OF the sixteen districts showing the
greatest improvement during the sum.
mer To the best OF the sixteen dis
trlcts a prize winners prize will be
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 attractively
between high BLUFFS. was shorn by
lumbermen and jobbers, who cut cv.
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 OF
rock are doing wonders I'm the way OF
appearance. 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 ana 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
Niagnra's army OF willing beauti-
fiers promise to make their village n
rival OF Ishpeming. with It's 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 nm at
tractive booklet with instructions I'm
the care OF the garden and planting.
The pamphlet issued by the 1shpem-
Ing company speaks editorIally on the
subject OF garden care.
1--WE find that the children I'm the
homes where much regard IS given to
making and keeping II as attractive as
possible are inclined TO be more home
loving and more easily interested In
the best thing" II says, "a boy can
have no better training than that OF
knowing how 10 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 boy and girl
have thus been able to earn their first
money and acquire habit Of industry
In this work which has been help to
them throughout their lives. There is
no question about the benefit to the
home or the home life having such i'm.
proved surroundings"
AS q result Of this work the city OF
lshpeming presents n pleasing con
trast 10 the coal mining and foundry
towns OF America and Europe. II en-
Joys the distinction OF being the best
kept OF any I'm the long mining list
Ishpeming has responded enthusias-
tically TO the company's Invitations for
general Improvement
The prizes. which are cash. aggrc-
gate several hundred dollars annually.
There arc several first, second. third
and fourth prizes IN each class. These
are for the tenants OF the company.
Besides these the president OF the com
pany gives prizes OF money to the boys
and girls OF the public schools who
make the best showings IN flower and
vegetable gardens
The company has fine nursery and
greenhouses. from which It supplies It's
tenants at low cost
Missionary work I'm the cause OF par-
dens has been carried out with salts.
factory results I'm Milwaukee by the
Milwaukee Sentinel Outdoor Art asso-
ciatiOn and the Womans School ALI.
ance. In Milwaukee the entries for
the first year were 100. This season
1000 are taking part In the contest.
Many OF the native ferns. wild grape
vines and trees have been collected I'm
the woods and transferred 10 tho
yards. Three prizes have been offered.
not for the best yard but for the
greatest Improvement under prevail.
Ing conditions There arc special
prizes ;or children and two extra
awards one FOR the greatest general
Improvement and one for the greatest
permanent improvement Sickly WON.
on and children are being made wen
aud strong by the Milwaukee tene.
ment movement-St Louis Republic
n You have pains in the back, weak
BACK or any other indication OF weak