The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-09
SEES $l2,OOO,OOO
WASTE THROUGH
LACK OF GARDENS
Detroiters Can Reap Big Profits
by Cultivating Back Yards,
Says Homecroft Expert
COST OF LIVING TO BE
CUT IN TWO FOR MANY
Betterment in Moral and Physi-
cal Welfare Will Also Result.
It's Claimed

That more than $12.000,000 Is being
wasted yearly in Detroit because OF
the lack OF back yard gardens, where
vegetables, berries. small fruits and
poultry can be raised, was the start
ling statement made, Monday, by
George III. Maxwell, executive chair
man OF the American Homecroft so.
city, who will deliver lectures In De-
troit every evening for the next so
days on "Homecroft and gardencraft."
Mr.. Maxwell, who is lecturer of
national reputation, il here under the
auspices OF the Twentieth Century
club, which is leading In the move
ment to make Detroit city OF beau
tiful. wealth-producing gardens. Mrs.
BenJamfn +. Williston Is chairman of
the club committee which has direct
charge Of the lectures. 1922 .<.sl
The Homecroft movement ii ni
tremendous Importance to Detroit"
said Mr.. Maxwell, III carried out to
complete success as II appears Il will
be, the city will add more than S12..
100000 yearly to its wealth, and the
cost OF living will actually be cut In
two for tens Of thousands of Detroit.
ers."
There are more than so 600 for
eigners with families living in Detroit.
and the vast majority of them are liv-
ing In cheap lodging houses, flats or
tenements, he continued. These
foreigners understand gardening far
better than Americans do. Give them
q small plot of ground and they will
produce wonders in the way OF -.ege-
tables and fruits. Each foreigner can
easily produce $3.50 worth of yege.
tables and fruits from a very small
garden. and when you multiply that
by $4,000 families you reach a ire
mendous saving.
Home gardening means even more
to the American. They more than
any other people need experience and
instruction in gardening. They should
be taught the great value of small
farming. and when the time comes
that thousands OF families here are
operating their own little gardens YOU
will see a great drop In the cost of
living, and a corresponding better
ment In the spiritual, moral and
physical welfare Of the people.
Before l went to Duluth to take
charge of the Homecroft movement
that city was spending more than
$b,O0O,O00 yearly for garden and dairy
products, and last year Duluth raised
more of those products within her
own city than was necessary to sup
ply the demand.
The Homecroft movement will also
mean larger lots In Detroit. Real es.
tate men will soon find that the lots
In demand will be at least so by 100
feet, and II is Of tremendous i'm.
portance to city that It's subdivisions
be divided into good-sized lots. when
the interest in gardening Is awakened
here, the day Of the small lot will
pass, and you will and that the CITY
Will grow In a broad, healthy, sub
stantial manner"
Mr.. Maxwell says that Il Is the In
tention OF those Interested IN the
Homecroft movement to finally ca.
tablish Homecroft institute IN
Detroit. where lectures VIII be given
regularly on gardening, and which
VIII maintain instructors on garden
Ing and the preserving Of fruits and
vegetables.