New Britain herald., 1917-04-18
GOVERNOR HOLCOMB
 IVAN WITH THE HOE'
Executive Intends to Raise Crop
 at SOuthin6ton Home

Hartford. April 1s.-Governor Mar
 'cus H. Holcomb, Connecticut's 72-
 years old chief executive, will spend
 lconsiderable time hoeing this sum- Inner, for he announced today that he I had ploughed about an acre of land
 tat his home in Southington, and would
 do the work himself He has made duplication for the necessary seed po-
 'tatoes to the Connecticut Committee sssof Food Supply, which he appointed a Eweek ago to work for increased food lproduction in the state.
 II do not believe in asking other people to do things I am not willing Ito do myself" said the governor. T
 want every citizen of this state to lrafse some food crops this summer
 and I am going to try my hand at hoe ling potatoes. believe there is health in the hoe. At the present time no lother factor in the national situa- stion is of greater importance than Intelligent precautionary preparation ito secure the largest possible supply fof foods. This year we will be called lupon to feed other nations now at war. if the conflict comes to an end lsoon. The demands upon us will be |greater if it should drag on through Ia long period. Every man must do This part and I propose to do mine."
 Appeal to Manufacturers. 1 Connecticut manufacturers are urged lin letter being sent out by the Con- inecticut Committee of Food Supply Ito take up without delay some garden
 plan for their employees. The com
 mittee has sent with these letters l copies of a model home garden ischeme which it recommends to. the manufacturers. The suggestion is made that conveniently located vacant land be ploughed and that it be of fered to employees for heir use under lexpert supervision and that a charge fbe made for the use of each plot to fcover the cost of preparing the land buying the fertilizer. The letter sent out to the manu- 1 ifacturers is as follows:
 :"Gentlemen:
 As you are doubtless aware, a great l deal Is being said and printed all over the state concerning possible methods of increasing the food supply. Many different agencies are more or less actively engaged in pushing the vari- ous so-called nome garden" schemes.
 This committee is desirous of working with all such organizations and is equally anxious not inter fere in any way in any worK or un- dertaking. Therefore, if the line of work we would suggest for your con sideration is already being taken care of as far as your employees are con- cefned, we would only ask you to no- tify us on the enclosed card, E "A great many manufa cturfng con cerns in this state own land which is suitable for. gardening or agricultural but which is at present not being made use of.
 "Our suggestion is that such land be plowed, fertilized and made ready l for planting as far as this can be done, by the use of horsedrawn tools; that it then be offered to your employees for their use. but such use to be un- der the supervision of a man who un- derstands gardening and general crop production.
 "A charge should be made for zach plot to cover the cost of preparation of the land and buying the fertilizer A contribution of the manufacturer would pay the cost of the employment | of supervisor. It would seem that l a man fitted for this work could be | found among almost any factory force.
 ."Tke actual work would of course | be done outside the working hours and l .on Sundays.
 "The land could be used either for l garden purpose plots, or to grow such l crops as potatoes, beans and other l non-perishable products. It would l seem that in this way the manufac- turing concern could make living con- l