New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-14
BOARD of Estimate Ready
to Create Commission
on Gardening
Railroads to Give
Property for Farms
Bowling Offers Resolution
to Help Residents Cut
Cost Of Living

r,.-v a-ailable foot Of vacant land
-. Nov York. including some of the
,;tv's small parks. is TO be placed
~r5er intensive cultivation.
roser A plan outlined before the
p..ra % Estimate yesterday and adop-
- bv that body, city owned land, va
~. lots owned by private individuals
- tiuable land belonging TO rail-
-. will be classified under one bead
~ olaced in the custody Of newly
.-oo.ed body probably city garden
~. commission-for the purpose Of eN-
..s..;rr every pound Of food that such
land can produce.
rr,,k l.. Bowling, president OF the
Rcd Of Aldermen and author of the
-.sorp.;ons under which the new pro-
;.,+ was carried before the Board OF
estimate yesterday, is convinced tha'
.torsa,6e Of tons Of fresh supplies
III bo available for distribution at
,ow n-;,es during the summer and fall
as result of this plan.
The bowling Resolutions
Wr povling's resolutions pointed
ort cha. the scarcity Of fresh supplies
would increase with the withdrawal
- farm help and other available work
srs for war duty. They add:
Resolved. That the Board of Esti-
mate and Apportionment request the
Mayor to appoint q committee or TO
5os;rra+e the chief Of one of the de-
Dor+ments Of the city government
prder his jurisdiction, or botn, to
svoriro into the possibility and
,racticabiity Of establishing bu-
resu Tor the registration Of vacant
lands within the city limits and OF
persons ready or wiling to Eoiun-
+ar1, til such lands, if granted free
use Of the same for cultNatioh' ana
received. That Immediately on the
commitment Of such committee or
ca,of OF department the owners OF
su plots or tracts Of vacant land
within the CITY limits available Tor
planting with food crops VINO are
,riUirc TO assign the same without
rental or cost for the year l9l De
~oc,ostsl TO submit offers of the
same. with description thereof, ana
RAT the heads Of all city depart
mcnts and the clerk Of the SINKING
Fund Commission are herewith dl-
rcctcd 20 report, without delay 10
ercr committee or official what
tracts or plots Of city owned vacant
land are available for food produce
cultivation, together with detailed
dcscription Of the same; and
resolved. That the City Of New
Vork through the Board of Estimate
and Apporticnment, invites the CO.
operation of the Federal and state
lcnar-montS Of agriculture, the state
and city departments OF education
and other AGENCIES in bringing about
'he hest possible results IN lncreSs-
ing the supply of food products py
the cultivation Of vacant lahdS III '"e
Civ ~ New York.
Citv officials said yesterday that the
entire lots. the half lots and even inc
smaller sections of ground that wouIG
bo available. along with the railroad
rrorertv and Tark lands that probably
would be- used. would be sufficient to
furu sh fresh vegetable enough for
large percentage of the clty's popula-
ton
Railroad Holdings Important
One Of tho most important items in
the list ~ available lands for food pro
ductiou Is that owned by railroads IN
and near tho city. The Long Island
Railroad. for instance, has considerable
land of tho sort that is declared by ex-
per,s 90 bc ideal for the growth Of po-
'atocs and certain other vegetables.
Alahn,.-, M nNcial could make q detl-