Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-04-27
BACK YARD GARDENING
Speeches Delivered at the Meeting
Held Last Evening in the West
minister Building.

/ Interesting addresses along the lines
of backyard gardening were made at
the meeting held in the Westmln-
ster building last night BY George II.
Alvord. of the Agricultural depart
ment, Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter, OF
the garden and farm association OF
the District of Columbia, Y. W. Bos-
well and Judge Barley Of this city.
Leo P. Harlow presided at the meet
ing. During the course Of her ad-
dress Mrs. Rafter stated that only
ten per cent of the vegetables con-
sumed in Washington were raised
within a radius of twenty-five miles
of that city and that the balance lad
to be brought in from growers To-
Gated much farther away.
Mrs. Rafter said she was born on
| 1dEII anu IONSo IL pelIet lilah siiis
other place on earth, and spoke most
| enthusiastically of the work that has
been done in the city of Washington
through garden cultivation there. She
said that there were over five num-.
dred gardens being cultivated in that
city and referred to families whose
homes and lives had been practically
| redeemed from lives of squalor, filth
and degradation through the uplift
which had been given them by the
backyard garden cultivation project.
Her references to certain families that
had come to her personal attention
and knowledge were listened to with
especial interest.
During the course of his address
Mr.. Alvord predicted that the trend
of prices for food would be higher
for the next five years, and that it
behooved everyone to raise as many
vegetables as possible. He said he
was glad to know that the garden
movement had been started in Alexan-
dria. He said that he had spent
practically his entire life on farm
and knew what cultivation of the land
meant and the necessity for proper
fertilization and cultivation in order
to raise crops of any kind.
Among the other facts which he
touched upon was the work being
done in various parts of the country
in the way of assisting in agricultural
lines. He said the Chamber Of Com
merce in the city of Richmond had
raised $1,000 which would be used
for the next five years to advance ag-
ricultural interests in the vicinity Of
that city; that $4,000 had been set
aside for like purpose by the busl-
ness men of Charleston, West Nir-
ginia; Lynchburg is interesting its
citizens in the same direction, and
that Baltimore raised the sum of
$4,000 in two hours which will be
loaned and reloaned to farmers in
that section.
Mr.. Boswell stated that he was
surprised at the large number in
Alexandria who had become inter-
! ested in the cultivation of gardens
| this spring, and recommended the
planting of more vegetables for with
ter use :and possibly not quite so. much
of the lettuce and radshes. He
urged everyone to get behind the
garden cultivation movement and to
encourage it in every way possible
and offered to render any. assistance
in his power to anyone wishing it.
Mr.. Harlow advised the appoint
ment of a committee to urge that
every garden in every ward in the
city be planted this year, and refer
red to the large number of farmers
who were plowing up their wheat land
and planting it to corn, which would
tend to make the price Of wheat and
wheat flour soar still higher.
Judge Barley's remarks were of
similar character to those Of the
speakers who preceded him, during
which he fully concurred in the neces-
sity for practical work to be accomp-
lished in increasing the food supply
through garden cultivation.
Those desiring seeds, and pamph-
lets on garden culture, may Obtain
them free of charge by calling at the
rooms of the Chamber of Commerce
where a supply will be found.
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