The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-04

severed, though. and soon a change
manifested itself, mainly at first In
a cessation Of hostilities. We have
the same square to-day and the same
community We had six years ago.
There are the same boxes and the
same boys, but now the boys have
their own boxes and make them them
selves. Moreover. they AXE quite as
deep an interest in growing plants TO
fll them as I do in mine.
The park, formerly the rendezvous
for the most horrible kind Of people,
both men and women. IL now beauti.
full and a safe place for nursemaids
and children and any who desire to
sit there and rest. The grass is we'll
cared for and the boys neve dream
Of tearing up the lawn. We have a
pretty fountain which a.. may enjsy.
The children come here to play and
around the corner in Sheridan Square
the street is ropeG off three times a
week by order of the Park Depart
ment for their benefit.
"Of this | do not. however. approve.
There Is no doubt at all but that chill
dren should have a safe place In
which to play. but this idea of moncp-
ol!aing city thoroughfares is all
wrong. What the city should do is To
set apart more areas AS play spaces
Beside furthering h window box
movement in various sections OF the
city, his is one of the things in when
the Women's Municipal League is
vitality interested.
at was through this organization
that Christopher Park set the example
of a flower box demonstration. MIS-
+. G. Hodgdon, chairman OF the
Greenwich Village branch, Is enthu-
siastic over the window box extension
plan and has worked faithfully for
its success. our example has since
beer followed in various parts OF the
country and every day ! read OF new
flower centres %springing up which
have been patterned after ours.
we aimed to make a block beauti-
full and urged every one to fill their
windows with flowers and vines
Every one responded generously and
several hundred window boxes were
set out. We encouraged street ven
ders Of flowers to come here and sell
their wares. so now he Saturday
afternoon flower market is a per-
institution. Nearly all the
dwellers on the park took Advantage
OF the cheap rate at which the
flowers were sold. usually 10 cents a
plant. and one by one each window
sill frightened with It's complement of
plants and blossoms.
Both in private house and tene-
ment fat he people vie with one
another in furnishing boxes OF flowers
for their windows and he contagion
has spread into the by streets. around
dark corners and into blind alleys
where flower bloomed before.
Our village blacksmith has three OF
the prettiest boxes in town and no
Fifth avenue millionaire with his hot
house conservatory Is more proud OF
them than he is Of his roof decora-
ton"
Like many another reformer Mrs,
Paddock has suffered because Of her
enthusiasm, and to-day the public
seems fondly to believe she Is a free
distributing agent for flowers, win
dow boxes. seeds and general advice
in Horticulture and a large part Of her
time in town Ia spent trying to coun-
teract tho notion. This 10 usually the
burden Of her lay:
mo, l don't rve away flower seed:
you must get those at the Nocer's
The league does not supply window
boxes. but you car get them made a,
any carpenters for SO or rs cents
The florist will sell you dirt enough
for your box for a few cents. don,
supply It. Under no circumstances
put the boxes on tho IRE escape. No
I am not in the flower business. You
must buy them from the vendors
Your plants won't Grow? Have 20,
tried watering them? II might help