Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-05

carrots. cucumbers. peppers and al!
sorts OF disable garden truck" are un-
Ger cultivation in addition TO the va
rious products in three sections and
along the waikways which have been
reserved for the use OF the city schools.
celery will bc grown in the school
sectionS. also. as this is excellent soil
ana one o! the largest gardens in tho
city. Whi!c Paramount ia one 81 the
so-cai!eu demonstration gardens" all
Inc work has been done by another OF
.hr. Ihomss assistants. ~ l.. smith
OK iiiGhland Park. whose salary is pal
ny the Schoo! Eoard. This garden was
h'ah'eo' as were several other school
care MIR. Smith has l;Hvcn it. aided ANA
aoctted by soil conditions. has made n
marked difference IN this and some of
Tie other gardens.
SIG IN EACH GARDEN
PREVENTS DEpREDATIONs
Each schoo! garden is conspicuous
Tor the large sign on post in ,hn
center facing tho gate: Public school
war Garden" The effect OF This sic,
While more psychological than othcr.
wlsei has prevented. in a large meas
ure, tho deprcdat!ons of past Seasons
liner Park School has 4 truly Won
hetiuI garden. The school grounds ,rc
y. H,uiisive. ana the garden runs nll
along one side on the grounds VIII
TINS Is typical "crawfsii land" ,hn ,,,.
una, GUAR SOL has been handled so sc,cn.
.ihcaiiy by Mr.. Thoms thar this -
Gen IS IN class all by Itself
"e uii inc other school gardens tho
0"o al oihtcr Park was planted Into
~ IL twice s large as am or no o,h,
school gardens, has a rro,tor ~ ,. oIn.r
pionucts growing and has boon chi
Nated almost entirely by Mr.. Thoms
ana the Janitor of the building
especially fine tomatoes were 500, 4,
ms Rardcn. They were a smooth. ROC,
variety which Mr.. Thoms has fo,,nI
most satisfactory. The first Tomatoes
were picked from the vines in ,i,a
garden June 30. The vicId b,, III, s
so unusual that sixty-four tomatoes
WeFc picked from ono vino. nf,v-nirc
i'o'l another. and many vines aver, ~ ;,
over forty tomatoes. according 10 AR
Thoms ~ NIX
LACK OF rain has been fel, in ,he
a'h'ol gardens which are not supplied
with water. and in the Gintcr I,a-.
section. the field mice have made NAV,
appreciation: on growing crops. Purnle
cabbage for picking. cantaloupes. egg
p!aht' a volunteer pumpkin vine hcav-
ny 'hdcn with big, yellow fruit. which
VIII later delight the children at Hal
lowe'cn festivities, gherkins. an enor-
nous sced-bcd for winter lettuce. and
o'her field and garden products char
actHrized the Ginter Park School
garden.
Not only does Mr.. Thoms SUPERVISE
the schoo! gardening activities Of Rich
mond. but he and his assistants visit
nome gardens and aid with practical
"nh helpful suggestions to household
ers thus encouraging food production
ana conscrvati ton. lie also looks after
gathering the crops and Keeping the
canning ccntcrs supplied with material.
MISS Arabel!a Pitcher, head of the
domestic science department Of the city
schools ot Richmond. directs the cam
ming activities at the ten centers Sha,
is assisted by Miss Emma Mondy and
Mrs. Davidson in the seven white can
ming ccntcrs.
Bernicc Madison Payne has charge OF
the canning. picking and so on in the
three colnrcd canning centcrs. There
arc approximately $500 homo gardens
in the city this summer and housewives
have the privilege of bringing their
own products to II canning center and
canning them under expert supervision.
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