The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1917-05-10
SCHOOL CHILDREN BEING TAUGHT TO
GROW VEGETABLES FOR PLEASURE
and PROFIT BY PROF. C. A. CLELAND

The chiidren's city gardening move
ment, recently inaugura,ed by the
Canon City Women's Civic Improve
ment league. gives promise OF be.
coming a great success under the di-
rection OF Prof. G. A. Cleland. prin.
cipal OF the Lincoln School. who. as
it's supervisor has taken UP the mat
ter with great energy. Prof. clei'
land, who was some time ago ap-
pointed city gardener by the league.
possesses special qualifications for
the position which he holds and his
enthusiasm for the work he has under
taken will make failure impossible.
In addition to practical experience as
rancher. fruitgrower and gardener
he has taken a college course in com
mercial agriculture. The league is TO
be congratulated on being able TO Sc
cure the services OF skilled and
well equipped director OF Its garden
Ing enterprises.
There are no special requirements
| for membership In the children's gar.
dening club. Any boy or girl can be
! cO,ne a member OF 1t on application
to Prof. Cleland and convincing him
OF their desire TO do some real prac-
ticai work In the growing OF ysge-
the public market Members of the
club are assigned ground for cultiva-
ton on vacant lots. but they must
| furnish their own seeds for planting
and the necessary tools for tilling
the soil. They are given all OF the
produce they grow. which can be
| made very considerable under the
generous allotment Of ground made to
| each member.
The best example of what Is being
accomplished by the children's gar
den club may be seen at the old
Wells property, on Macon and Green.
| wood avenues. between Seventh and
Eighth streets. where practically an
acre Of ground has been ploughed UP
and put under intensive cultivation.
Other vacant lot gardening. however.
may be found adjoining Trinity Luth-
eran church on Macon avenue and In
other portions of the city. but on a
less extensive scale than on the
Wells place. Besides this vacant lot
system OF cultivation great deal OF
home gardening is being done by mem
bers OF the club: all OF II under the
instruction and oversight of Prof.
Cleland. In his work the latter Is
materially assisted BY the state agri-
culture College at Fort Collins and
by Ralph r. Jeffries. county horticul-
turist.
Each member of the children's gar
den club working on the Wells prop
erty has been assigned piece of
ground fourteen and half by sixty
feet in Dimensions. which is practic-
ally one fiftieth of an acre. All of
these divisions are easily irrigated
erty and upon them the club members
may grow such vegetables as they de.
sire. The matter OF variety, however.
is usually determined by a consulta-
tion with Prof. cieland on the sub
ject. The greater part OF the seeds
thus far planted are radisher. beans,
peas. onions. turnips. etc. Later cab
bages. tomatoes and other vegetables
OF a similar character will be set out.
A plot OF ground at the northwest
corner Of the Wells property has been
reserved for corn and each member
OF the club that wishes to do 10. will
be allowed to plant . row or two
OF corn for roasting ears. This piece
of ground II ninety BY one hundred
feet In size and seems to be well
adapted for the purpose for which It
has been set aside. All OF the gar
dening Is being done In scientifc
manner. altho theory Is not allowed
to interfere with practical experience
either In the kind of seeds to be
planted. or IN the system Of cuitiva-
tion TO 10 used.
In addition to tho twenty-six boys
and girls having garden allotmentr
at the Wells place there are between
thirty.hve and forty boys and girls
engaged In gardening at home. The
latter work under the same rules ~
those gardening on vacant lots and
are subiect 70 inspection from Prof.
Cleland tho namo ~ the oth0rn.
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