New-York tribune., 1917-06-11

New York City's crop outlook is
bright. Unless the town is visited by
hailstorms and cyclones. not common IN
this climate of skyscrapers, the har-
vest of 1917 will be abundant and
varied.
II is only n few weeks since New
York was seized with garden patriotism
and decided to raise its own vegetables
or as much thereof as possible. In this
brief time soil that has never been
under cultivation since Broadway be-
gan to boast of its wickedness has been
planted with potatoes. corn, cabbages,
tomatoes and other necessities.
Under the encouragement and leader
ship of city officials and others who
realized that the United States and its
allies in the war might face food short
age unless the crops in this country
were materially increased this year, the
five boroughs of New York City have
planted approximately 1,l5O acres. This
is only a partial and very incomplete
and does not include the big truck
farms Of Long Island.
Officials Inspect Gardens
Park Commissioner Cabot Ward, head
Of the Manhattan Food Garden Com
mittee, together with Thomas Whittle,
Park Commissioner of The Bronx;
Frank L. Bowling President of the
Board Of Aldermen. who also holds the
title of chairman of the Committee on
Coordination of the Mayors Commit
tee on Food Gardens. and several other
city officials spent Saturday afternoon
inspecting the new farms of the city.
They managed TO visit a number of
ranches in Manhattan and The Bronx.
The homesteads in Richmond. Brook
lyn and Queens had to wait till later
date
The reports of the Committee on
Food Gardens show that Manhattan
alone has at least $50 patches under
cultivation. Brooklyn has 400 gar
dcns Scattered through The Bronx
are more than $50 acres of truck plots.
while Richmond has $50 acres planted
with vegetables, and Queens as much, If
not more.
The Department OF Parks has fur
nished free of charge and at cost much
Of the seed for the gardens. Some of
the harvest will be presented 10 city
institutions, hospitals and asylumS, but
the principal idea underlying the gar
den movement in New York City, ac-
cording 10 the city officials. is simply
Planting Carefully Done
4 canvass Of the gardening accom-
plished and now under way in Manhat-
tan and The Bronx proved "A salts
factory surprise to the city officials.
The inspection showed that the work
Lad been done in 10 haphazard man
rcr, but that studious care had been
displayed 20 effect the best results.
and that the movement had, moreover.
caught a popular fancy. One OF the
most interesting plots was found 10
be- right in the heart Of Manhattan
ir Union Square where Edward J.
Miller. supervisor Of the Manhattan
Fcod Gardens. has planted model
patch. 10 is visited daily by hundreds
o. amateur gardeners, who come 10
seek practical information as 20 plant
ing and caring for vegetables.
At Ninetieth Street and Lexington
Avenue the city officials found va
cant lot 100 by 100 feet, which is being
cultivated by schoolboys. under the in
structions of clergymen OF the Church
Of the Holy Trinity. Sweet corn, lima
beans and peas are being raised by the
children OF the neighborhood. The
Wndlcigh High School girls planted on
Saturday several hundred tomato and
ltt.u-e plants on the lawns of the CO.