Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08
BY GILBERT G. La GORGE


TO the average Washingtonian who
thinks of his city as the purely
residential Capital of the United
Il States, laid out in wide, tree
lined streets, graceful parks.
stately buildings and varied dwellings,
the knowledge that 104 registered farms
are operated-and recognized as farms
by the Census Bureau-within the limits
of this same district should prove rather
startling.
Census reports for 1880 show value
from crop and livestock products aggre-
eating 81 198,422, substantial sum when
consideration is given the land acreage
of the District $1,000, of which 3,07l
acres are devoted to private agricul-
tural pursuits. as distinguished from
Government Experimental Farms
It is not necessary to drive for miles
into Maryland or Virginia to get fresh
eggs, vegetables, fruit or meat on the
hoof, for Just beyond the section OF
Brookland. along Eighteenth and Up
shur streets northeast, near Bunker Hill
read, or near Tenth and Varnum streets
northeast. thu truck gardens lie out in
cultivated rows beside the farmhouses
and barns. cattle Craze peacefully IN
grassy pasture lands and, except for the
rows of houses on the other side OF the
street--as is usually the caSe-this sec
ton of Washington might be slice OF
old Maryland or historic Virginia.
Market Stands on Roads.
Now that harvest time is on, little
market stands, grooming under their
burdens Of fruit and vegetables, catch
the drivers eye along the roads. There
90, ~ fa greet
customers with smile and proudly ex-
hibit their wares-at reasonable prices,
unruffied by the sirens and changing OF
bells of city fire engines and everyday
traffic speeding by within blocks dis
lance. There one can buy the Sunday
dinner, chicken and all, and II addi-
tional fresh meat is needed. tie Calls
halter to the spare tire and head for
home or the local abattoir, as the case
NAV warrant.
lacking across town in south
westerly direction, more farms are to be
found. usually in elongated back yards
deserted lots or entire city blocks. BY
parking along First street southW2St
and stepping across the usual sidewalk
entrance may be gained to adjoining
cron fields CT turnip patches, where al
occasional glimpse of the Capitol dome
not far distant, affords a queer con-
trast. Products raised in this section
of agricultural Washington are mainly
for hcme consumption. since the build,
irg developments permit of but smai
acreage for truck gardens.
On the south side of AnacoStla, thu
District extends for surprising dis
lance before the Maryl9nd line |!
reached. Various roads lead through
stretches of uncultivated fields anc
wooded glens, broken now and again bJ
extensive farms, with rangy barns, COW
cred haystacks and rambling country
houses resting in the shade of live OAK
and weeping willow. Mail boxes marx
the turns into dusty. deep-rutted lanes
where horses and cattle lean over fences
to watch the passing traffic.
Products from this secticn OF Wash
ingtcn probably have a good sale n
the stalls at New Center Market, since
the cultivated areas supply more thar
is needed for home consumption alone
Good As Investment.
Although approximately rs per cer'
of the District farms are classified
under the abnormal Approximations
! or country estates valued at $4,000 OF
more and consisting of ten CT more
acres)-and the incomes from farm!
in this category comprise the majol
proportion of the total revenues, thu
remaining percentage of farms are evil
| IDENTIFY coed investments In the 1872,
! census 204 farms were listed within tht
! City of Washington. One explanation
| for possible decrease in number, IL
! addition to the inroadS of building de
velopments, is new Classification FOL
farms themselves-that is, in the pas