The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-02
Inquiries Come From Every where About His Recent
 Letter on Tomatoes
STONG ADVOCATE OF
 USING VACANT LOTS
Cites Some Examples of What Has Been Done in Jones Valley With Common Sense
 and a Hoe


 The last time I took my pen in hand, put my foot in it so to speak, for ever since then have been receiving inquiries about tomatoes
 My friend Allison in New Decatur wrote saying that his wife understood that l had variety of such excellence which bore fruit of such size that one would make a gallon of catsup, and asked that 1 send him some plants, which of course l did, saying that if we could | raise tomatoes one of which would make gallon of catsup, he, because of his superior skill should raise one that would ! make two gallons of catsup and still | leave enough for several gallons of soup. Frank Julian of the Sheffield Standard eomplmented me on my success, but in- l tmated that the tomatoes of Jones val ley were but as cherries compared to those raised in the Tennessee valley. 1 wrote him that his statement was prob- ably attributable to the climate, but if he would send me a crate of his produc- ton along in August 1 would then rem Ger my decision as to the relative mer- it's of the sections.
 A friend in Cleveland O., was inter- ested and wished further details, while one in South Carolina made inquiry as to other crops, with a view of locating here. Still another remarked that he did not see how bum insurance agent could write so expertly on tomato growing. I told him that the atmosphere of Birmingham induced development along all lines. Notwithstanding these inquiries from abroad and comments too numerous to mention at home, I am going to again take my pen in hand and tell of some of the other products of the back lots of the city of Birmingham, trusting that the examples cited will inspire the ambition of many to transform tin cans into ter races, slag and cinder piles into gardens and to make the waste places blossom and bear friut, and vegetables, and thus make the landscape more pleasing to the eye and at the same time aid in the re- duction of the cost of living.
 It would be amazing to those who have had no experience or who have not had the opportunity of observing the work of others to know of some of the results obtained in Birmingham from the back lots of some of the homes, by the appli- cation of elbow grease, horse sense, waterworks water, and of the knowl- edge gained by experience and observa- ton.
 We learn from Holy Writ that Paul may plant and Apollus water, but that God alone can give the increase, and that for the sewers some yields were thirty, some sixty and some an hundred fold, and of this we may be sure that nature is so generous that she will re- spond most liberally to the efforts of man. and can always be counted on to give results if man will give nature chance or assist in the least degree. Take the case of the tomatoes. Miss De Yam pert gave Mrs. Hard IS seeds. From them, in spite of cut worms and hail, Mrs Hard raised nine plants From these she got many fruits. Of these she gave to MT. Terisi, the market gardener, six on condition that he would plant the seeds and share his plants with her This season MT. Terisi will raise 25 bush els of fine tomatoes from his share Of the plant, and Mrs. Hard has distributed hundreds among her friends.
 MT. M. L. Davidson has gotten fine re- suits from another variety of vegetable. He lives at 216 South Eighteith street, East Lake, and from a plot of ground 12 feet by 40 feet he has raised and sold since last August $30 worth of spinach. and says that he can take a lot 50 by 50 feet and by raising two full corps of Spinach or lettuce and half crop of pole beans he can in one year rea.lZe $50, which leads me to remark that if the owners of vacant lots in Greater Birmingham would cultivate them intelll- gently or allow others to do so, that Bir-
 
 increa sed, and the product would go long way toward paying the taxes on the | property.
 l Mir. Davidson tells me of some advice he gave friend out on the North High | lands hills which was followed with l happy results. It was required that some | stables be cleaned out and the owner got l permission to put the refuse on vacant
 lot On Mir Davidsons advice the party
 got cents worth of mustard seed, sowed l it broadcast on the manure. the rains descended, the sun shone Gas usuaD, the sower realized $25 from the sale of the
 mustard greens, palates were pleased, di- l gestion improved, tissues built up and
 souls made happy.
 l If we could establish fad for culti- vating vacant lots and fondness for 1 a hoe handle, we would be as com munity physically and morally improved 1 As a developer of the lungs and muscles i of the arms. legs, and back hoeing is su- 1 perior to golf, or tennis, and is not as productive of profanity.
 1 If you want to feel at peace with your | fellow man.. and in love with nature. get i an old straw hat, keen bladed hoe, with
 spring to the handle, hickory shirt | open at the throat. pair of light pants, 1 old shoes, and start out in the early
 morning and swing the hoe in unison to
 song you can whistle. and when the sweat begins to tricllle down the vaiieAy | in yonr back and the breeze cools v""- ! brow. as you stop for a moment and Int | your hat. and you stop whistline and the
 mocking bird balancing himself on the | top of the fence takes lip the refrain. l you will conclude that life is indeed
 worth living in Jones valley.
 JAMES H. HARD. 11