Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-15
MISS CARO- MILLER

"LNTIY ! had no idea Ii" schools
w carried on such work." exclaimed
one woman after she had seen and heard
OF tho actual gardening Of real vegeta-
bles by the boys and girls Of the Phila-
deIphia public schools.
DO YOU know Of it, this war garden
ing Of the children?
At least that is what the school-gar-
den worl, Of the Board Of Education has
become the last twelve months-rcal
war gardens, with orc aim, food pro-
duction"
This season on the sixty vacant lots
you will sec signs, Board of Public
ducation--ChHdrcn's War Garden"
There you will find plots 20 by 90 care
fully cultivated to yield all the varieties
Of vegetables which can he economically
raised on 100 square-foot plot. Among
others you will recognize GC you know
them) beans bccts, Swiss chard, lettuce,
carrots, corn. tomatoes, turnips.
Garden teachers are i'm change Of the
pupils certain days of the week This
teacher win give instruction and advice
TO any desiring it at the close Of the
afternoon. The schedule FOR these DEM
onstratous viii he found posted on the
back Of tho sign posts.
Has your community such war gar
den for the school your children at
tend? II not nud a suitable lot and
notify the principal
There is another type Of garden found
on the school grounds Of sixteen schools.
These are the regular school gardens in
the establishing Of which some twelve
years ago Philadelphia was pioneer
\; these gardens all the grades have
a share in the work. Every class has
its own plot which it visits in school
hours, and from garden teacher re-
CctVe5 instruction and practical dcmon-
strauon 40 to the planting Of vegetables
on its own class plot.
Before the war most fascinating les
sons on soils. plant life, insects both
beneficial and harmful, were taught.
! However since the slogan Food Pro-
duction' became necessary. the lessons
have been limited TO those dealing di-
rcctly with the best ways of growing
vegetables
Besides the class plots there are also
individual plots, which are held by fifth
grade pupils Virtually all Of this is
done in school hours
The planting Of the 4 by 10 fee, ind
Ndual plots is uniform and very in
tensive, Would you believe YOU could
raise on so dminutivc q plot AN Of
these-lettuCe, radish beans. beets, khoI-
rabi, tomatoes and Swiss Chard? 1t is
not only possible, but is done with ease
year after year by twelve-year-old chill
dren using an intelligent plan which gets
two crops each season from the same
/ land.
Enthusiasm? Just stop around at one
Of these gardens this spring when the
| first spading and planting is i'm progress
Besides the sixty war gardens which
last year accommodated more than 5000
persons, and the sixteen school gardens
which have about 1000 individual plots
and class plots for 1900 children, there
are smaller gardens i'm twenty school
yards, each Of which accommodates from
four 10 fifteen class plots for weekly
/ lessons.
This year every plotholder will he
( furnished with a red tag numbered tC
correspond with his plot Every person
/ taking crops may be Challenged 10 show
/ his tag and thus prove ownership Wont
you. therefore, help protect these gar.
dens by challenging any who is sus'
/ piciousy harvesting crops from a wal
garden without showing the red tag
Have you ever tOiled over a garden
hoed, planted and watered, thinned
fought various bugs and blights under q
boiling August sun, breathed a sigh o.
satisfaction and self-congratulation a
the final harvest--and then have il al
stolen overnight?
II you have had this experience, yol
will lend a hand in protecting the chill
dren's war gardens. If YOU haven't haC
the experience. won't you lend II any
way and help our slogan, Food Produc
ton?