The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-27
s8T H HAsKIN LETTER
GARDENING AS RECREATION.
d Ereder.e !. HaskLn.

10 every man who Is not too many.
generations removed from the. soil
/ the first warm days or March bring
a deep-seated yearning to get back
to it. And. as our cities grow. the
number of men who can fish and play
i golf and engage in other sports OF
Z the open country, steadily dimin-
fishes; but with more and better
trolley lines always reaching out To
| new suburbs. the number OF men who
can own a bit of land and delye in
! it with spade is growing apace-
! Amateur gardening is really becom-
ing one more great American sport:
Nearly all Americans are OF farming
/ stock originally. and few of them
are SO many generations removed
from the ancestral occupation that
the smell of a fresh-turned soil has
not a subtle appeal for their nos
i1rils.
Thus it happens that the suburb
tanite is always happiest in the
fspring: He hasteEs from his down
town Office burdened with gardening
tools. seed and bulbs. He works up
Ion his little 6x1U plot of ground
until nigbtfall sends him in to his
thinner with an appetite like that OF.
g.
has never had an opportunity to
know whether pumpkins grow on
trees or und erground is quite as apt
ito waken up some morning with the
back to the soil" fever strongly
developed. as is the country born
person who perhaps had reason to
find gardening irksome in his youth.
The amateur garden movement is
Ibecomins better organized each year
land its advantages are numerous. In
suburban sections of largo cities It
fosters neighbortiness and sociabilitv
I as we'll as civic pride. The trash
heap IN the back yard no longer ex-
lists. It is replaced by cultivated
beds of flowers and vegetables. The
families cultiyating these small ga.b
Idens get into the habit of comparing
notes across lots. They exchange
seeds and cuttings and become ac-
quainted and friendly because Of
their mutual interest
One of these tendencies of the
back to the soil movement in towns
and cities is the adjustment OF the
Iugly high board fence which sepa-
Even though painted and yine-cov-
cred, the high fence Is nuisance and
when all the gardens and backyards
of square are in cultivation. 1t tends
to break vista which would be
lotherwise attractive. Consequently.
it Is being replaced by attractive
wire fences which separate the lots,
lbut permit one resident to enjoy
the good appearance OF his neigh
boris garden.
The rival among amateurs in the
matter Of flower and vegetable rats
ling nroduces good results In ono
l1arpe citvs tho .eEortv-second Ward
| citizens, Association, distributes
well selected seeds and plants early
1 IN tta snrinp 7,v-n l,ibitions are
nald r. which n he nrnfl1Icts ara upon
ldisplay il s tent erected for that pur-
nose IN an omen square. The first. is
on the Fourth of July and is a fea-
t,1re OF The special celebration held Ia
this ward mon that day: The other
comes IN .octof Prizes Are offered
ro,. IN = 1hesf nrod,1cf The October
exhibition resembles nothing so much
40 acnnntry4 fair Gigantic ca bbage
notatnas@ tonatoes beats onions
snnas1ese and every sort Of yeReta bles
ara shown aid nv. side with flowers
T witch rival those of the green
bousess IN, ha.,,tv- and frarrance
/ Few IF those who enter into these
tfr; an ,l1,s rom netitions EhavaEnlc ra III n
snara ~ nm ord ir,a1y city lot III
witch Ia demonstrates their skin. The
nrinc;nlss 1ofainfansiva farming are
20 -, no 1,iehest degree.
M foot1of soil is wasted Soon
! = one cronlis efinished sometl1ing Is
-, NJ, In! e it e "A number o.
p pes, saa+nras are a eyeloned. one
!, =, IN Nv training
~ -; ,e MI -. fanceEhs
~ aan III % ,.llan ANA that IF his
linaiphhor.s This was accom- plished
t,. s ,1r,,nins Inc Ma 10. wbaT they
- AZ. : %
~ :; = s,,a 90 &c = ,rb an pTou.n