The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-18
IS GARDEN Time.
TOpekanS Making Preparations
for Spring Planting.
City VIII Furnish Plenty OF
Land and Seed.
KEEP RECORD OF VACANT LOTS
System Gives Them a Chance
TO Make Money.
Park Commissioner McGiffert
in Charge of the Plan.

IN the spring the young mans
fancy lightly turns to thoughts OF
words to that effect are promul-
gated by some more or less We'll
known poet. It may be true as regards
the young man. But the middle aged'
and the elderly man, and the boy, VINO
is stfl in that period Of his existence
when girls are Il bore-their thoughts
There Is instilied deep into human
nature the desire 20 see something
grow and develop. rms lnstlhet Is
pretty well subverted in the CITY
dwelier, but it crops out when the
first warm days after the cold wealth
err begin to appear.
Tho CITY man recks not that in all
probability there will be more coio
weather. probably snow, before plant
ing weather sets in. sunshine ana
gentle zephyr or two are enough 10
set fis hands itching for a hoe handle.
lie is the optim,st supreme. He SCOTS
at the weather man and sneers at the
records Of past years. StraightWay he
plants seeds of some sort in patch
of ground two-bytwice that ought 10
be kept open for some other purpose,
and then cusses because they get froz-
en- It is pitiable. but it is humanity
The trait described is cropping out
already in Topeka. A couple of mild
davs we're enough 10 start the ferment
working.
To Furnish Land and Seed.
Topeka. so far as Robert d. Nc
Giffert. city commissioner of parks, is
aware. is the only city in the United
states which stands ready to set the
householder up with garden. To-
peka will furnish land and seed. leaV-
ing nothing for the wOuld-be gardener
10 apply but inspiration and perspir-
alton.
During 1917. when food production
and conservation were the shibbolethS
OF the day. the habit of cultivating all
vacant lots in the cities, making them
yield food in the form OF garden
sass was both patriotic and eco
uomical. The public took to it with
enthusiasm. and they have not aban-
doued it.
There is kept in the office of Aaron
Green. sanitary policeman of the park
department. a complete file of all the
vacant lots in the city Each spring,
the owners Of these lots receive
postcard with a return slip attached.
on the return slip is an agreement to
permit use Of their vacant lots for
gardening purposes during the sum-
mer. free OF charge, providing the per-
son who does the gardening keeps
down the weeds on the lot, and along
tho streets and alleys adjoining.
There are listed in Green's office
tracts OF from two to four lots each,
i'm Topeka Il shan't get answers from
all the cards, If course. but there will
be Il lot of them.
I'VE get applications for more lots
than we can supply, every year The
applications have already started com
ing into the office for lots for garden
purpose this summer. The demand
seems to have started early on ac-
, count of the warm days during Jan
Uary-
Chance to Make Money.
THE gardening system saves the
owners of the lots the trouble of keep
ing the weeds cut themselves, or of
having US cut the weeds and add the
bill to their taxes 1t gives the people
who farm the lots, a chance to make
a little something.
And it IS a big help to the city in
solving the weed problem. There is
just one thing We object to, and that
is the practice OF some Of the tenants
of blowing their lots and dragging the
dirt out onto the sidewalk. That some
. times causes US trouble"
Green stated that there still remain
in the office Of the park commission
or. some 500 packages Of good gar
den seed. sent to the department for
distribution by the United States con-
rressmen, which may be had for the
asking.
McGiffcrt Sends Cards.
The statement to the owners of the
lots on the postcards which Green
is already sending out, reads as fol
lows:
Dear Sir am trying to arrange
10 have all vacant lots in the City of
Topeka put in garden this year. This
will save the owner the trouble and
expense of having the weeds cut on
his lots. If you will consent to have
7 nil F-r~ .aTlfl
arrange to get some one to garden
your lots, who will agree to keep the
weeds down and turn the lots over &c
YOU IN the fall in as good a condition
as they now are.
If you are willing to do this, you
can sign the attached contract and re-
. turn it to me and I will have the
othe- party sign it. If 1 cannot fins
. anyone willing to do this will notify
you.
Do not delay returning this con-
. tract signed, unless you have made
: other arrangements with private
parties. Our aim is to produce more
food in an effort to bring down the
high cost of living. and at the same
time keep down the weeds. NsN
ROBERT d. McGIFFERT.
: Commissioner of Parks and Public
Property.
Its human nature to be satisfied
! with our work when we are able &c
see something being accomplished.
: Sfr. AIcGiffert says. 81 think that j:
the secret of the popularity of tht
gardening scheme. But I don't know
/. of any other city which is able TO sup.
4 ply free land for gardening purposes
at the call of its citizens. OF course
the big thing with the department i,
the keeping down of the weeds"
: ATTORNEYS READY FOR HOWAT
: Smith Of Hutchinson Latest to Depar
- for Supreme Court Hearing.
Hutchinson, Kan. Feb. 1s.-Fra(
Dumont Smith, a Hutchinson attor
ney. left last night for Washington
. d. c., where he viii be one OF th'