Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-29
HOW FACTORY GARDENS
s'PAY THE MANUFACTURER
Profits the Heads of Big Enterprises
scitto Help Regular Employees to
State of Preparedness.
WAY ONE BIG CONCERN WORKS
Free Flowing for All-Sced and Fer
J tilizer at Cost-Mothod Calculated
!. to Keep Operatives Together and
I. Satisficd-Solves a Problem.

s Carl c. Poindcxter, of Winston
Salem. y. C.. largely engaged in textile
manufacturing. has written very in
terestinE letter to the Manufacturers
Record telling how one big factory
has undertaken the work OF pre-
paredness.'' IL such term may be
used. among the employees of that
factory. Mr.. PoindeXter is already
finding that the plan adopted by his
establishment Is working we'll and he
modcstly tells about It for the infor-
nation and guidance OF similar cs-
Establishments, that Is the kind which
employ many operatives with families
TO support
He writes the Record:
In your issue Of April an article
from Danviile, Va. commends the gar
deninE spirit that is growing in popu
laritS among the school children. This
is undoubtedly the place to start in
NORMAL times. but the gardening done
bysschool children might be called ele-
mental. or experimental. and cannot
possibly he substantial an addition
to the average factory employees
dinner pail as is going 10 be positively
necessary this season. In our section
OF the South gardening has already
been delayed by rains and late cold
weather: a great many would-bc gar
deners have grown discouraged. and
will probably not plant any garden at
All now unless encouraged and urged
10 do so. This is the employers Eol-
den opportunity TO make himself
real benefactor by offering such ma
terial assistance as he can afford. and
~
FLOWING FREE AND
OTHER THINGS At COST
One large manufacturer in this
state, with hundreds Of families de-
pendent upon his factories. has offered
to have the gardens of all his en-
ployees plowed and put in condition
for planting. thus giving them no ex-
cuse for 'unpreparedness." The firm
with which the writer is connected was
one Of the first to take UP this idea,
they having purchased 100 bushels of
seed Irish potatoes and several tons
Of ,IhiEh-Erade fertilizer which arc be-
iHf sold to the employees At actual
cost. The management intends to see
that every employee who lives in one
ot-the company's houses. or nearby.
has substantial garden planted at
once and where it is necessary, as In
the case OF widow or sickness of tho
head OF the family. they will take
active charge of the preparation of
the ground for planting. In addition
to-. this, several acres of land have
been planted in Irish potatoes, and
more will be planted in other veseta-
bles for harvest next fall. These arc
to. be sold at reasonable price to the
employees next winter. IT is true not
all manufacturers are encountered with
surplus land, but all can lend their
moral and some material aid to the
intense development of the home gar
den.
ALL TO THE ADVANTAGE OF
MANUFACTURER HIMSELF
With potatoes. onions and cabbage
classed among the precious jewels"
il is a duty every manufacturer owes
to his employees to take this matter
under consideration at once and act
accordingly The wise and far-seeinE
employer of labor cannot help but see
that tho next few months of soaring
prices and short crops may react upon
him with undesired results. for the
average laborer. like water. follows
the line OF least resistance.
II is my belief thattaf' YOU will write
a good emphatic editorial- on this sub
ject, something similar to your appeal
tosthe farmers in last weeks issue, II
will be of untold value to the thou
sands OF mill villages in our Southern
States. There are few manufacturers
who care nothing for the welfare Of
their employees; they are near sight
ed" There are thousands OF other
employers who would like 10 do some
thing TO help. and with a little en-
couraEcment and advice from your pen
they will gladly pass this encourage
n1ept and advice along TO their en-
ployees and will add the sinews OF
gardening In the passing. II means
more TO the average factory employee
and employer than the average man
believes unless he gets down and in
vestieates and thinks hard.