New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-21
GET BACK TO THE SOIL
One Thousand Children Plant
Vegetables in Park.
SEVEN KINDS IN GROUND
Young Farmers Must Take care
of Gardens Once a Week and
Will Get Crops.

One thousand children got back to inc
soir' yesterday by planting seven varieties
Of vegetables in thousand plots VI
ground in Thomas jefferson Park, at East
1l4th street. They were assisted in the
planting by one hundred teachers from the
Teachers Training School and others from
tho summer garden school Of New YORK
University The work was under the SUI
pervision OF Mrs. Henry Parsons. who d.
reefs the school gardens Of the PARK De-
partment In Manhattan and Richmoho'
Henry Griscom Parsons, her son. VINO Is
director of the chdren's garden course III
New York University, personally super
vised the planting.
Besides the thousand youngsters VINO oio
the planting there were two or three thou-
sand who lined the railing outside the t"o-
acre field which has been set aside Tor 'he
garden work In Thomas Jefferson PARK
They viewed with envy the five hundred
bows and five hundred girls as they
marched into the field and took their
places, which were designated by smalI
stakes bearing numbers.
When the signal was given for the Juve-
nile farmers to enter the grounds there was
no disorderly rush. That had all been
obyiated by the plans Of Mrs. Parsons 10
have II a most orderly return to the SOIL
The children, who were from public ana
parochial schools in the 18th and 10Th dis
tricts, were formed in line. and at the head
OF each school delegation was a banner
carrier. The order once given TO march TO
/ their
spectiye sites and awaited the word TO
plant.
The vegetables furnished for the occa-
sion included such old standbys as BEANS
beets. radishes, lettuce, carrots, onions ana
corn After planting some OF each kihu
OF seed, the teachers in charge OK the sepa-
rate delegations then saw to IL mat the
youthful advocates OF farm life DID not
plant onions and carrots In the same holes'
Never were more Jealous farmers seen
than were busy for an hour In Tnomas
| jefferson Park AS fast as the carrot
eeeds were planted the teacher In charge
would announce some other vegetable
passing around the seeds as she did So
I'VE will now plant beans said the
teachers in a chorus. And there was an
answering one from the children, Beans.
Among the spectators were number OF
the parents Of the children. who smiled
with satisfaction at the sight OF their
youngsters assuming the responsibilities OK
truck farmers, for the success OF the gar
den will depend largely on the attention OF
the planters Commissioner Slower was
also there 10 see part Of the planting.
The new farm garden is much larger
than the one in De Witt Clinton PARK
which was established nine years ago. The
success OF the latter farm garden caused
Mrs. Parsons to call on Commissioner
Slower for space for another one. There
are fifty thousand school children in the
two districts from which the thousand
young farmers hail. The purpose OF the
farm gardens. Mrs Parsons said. was not
to teach children agriculture or farming.
but TO teach the private care OF pubic
property and 10 have the children become
acquainted with the vegetables which they
see every day in the markets OF the city.
II was not until long after the seeds were
all planted that the youngsters could bring
themselves to leave the neighborhood.
Many were the expressed hopes for rain TO
bring out the vegetables in a rush. The
children must go over their garden plots
once a week to weed and care for them.
When the crops are matured they will get
the produce. No prizes, however, will be
given for the best plot; for 1t is a rule Of
the farm garden that there shall be good
plots all around.