Evening star., 1932-10-02
ANACOST|AP PLOTS
FEED S8 ANTILLES
Gardens Are Provided Job
less in Parkway Area-To
Be Doubled in 1893.

Virtually the entire food supply for
SO families of unemployed family heads
has been provided during the Summer
from garden plots in the Anacostia
parkway area.
The plots, made available to the
of the Employment Committee and the
Council of Social Agencies, were farm
ed by the jobless heads of the families
and fresh vegetables sufficient to feed
an average family of seven were pro-
duced on each of the so by 100 foot
plots. according to the report of Mrs.
Frederick Brooke, chairman of the
committee in charge of the gardens.
On Government Land.
The farm plots are located on Gov
ernment-owned land below the District
dump and Benning road. The land be-
low the dump was worked by white
farmers" and that along Benning road
was turned over to colored families. Use
of the farm plots was arranged by
William r. Beatty Of the Agriculture
Department. Flowing and furrowing Of
the entire area was done by War De-
partment tractors and men. Seeds aid
implements were purchased by the EN-
ployment Committee. of which Ernest
Daniels is chairman. The Fire De-
partment supplied hose for watering
the farms.
The S8 unemployed men set to work
in spite of the fact that few of them
had any knowledge or gardening. Su-
pervision and help was given the white
farmers by G. E. Gettz Of the Employ
nlent Committee, while E. K. Brent,
ha
supervised the work of the colored
gardeners. All of the vegetables raised
were consumed by the families of the
workers. Because the land is Gov
ernment property, each farmer" was
required to sign an agreement that he
would not sell or trade any produce
raised on that land.
Fed Family Of IL Children.
The results of the experiment have
been most favorable. One man. who
has IL children. took up one of the plots
and also was given a small wage as an
assistant to Mr.. Brent He was able to
feed his entire family who would other
wise have been forced to apply to one
of the welfare and relief organizations
for food.
Another colored gardener had A.
year-old son who managed to plant
two or three sunfloWer seeds on his plot
One SunfioWer eventually attained al
most mammoth proportions.
One house was built on each plot OF
ground and was occupied during the
Summer by one of the unemployed men
who also acted as watchman.
Will Double Plots.
The success of this years gardens has
encouraged the committee to such an
extent. Mrs Brooke said, that they are
planning to have twice as many plots in
operation next year.
Mrs. Brooke was assisted by Miss
Edith Coulson of the Council OF Social
Agencies, who acted as secretary Of the
committee and who visited both plots
each week Miss Coulson has long had
an interest in these garden plots. As
executive for the Juvenile Protective
Association. she launched the move
ment for gardens for boys in the Ana
costa section, which developed into the
Civitan Garden Club for Boys and
which grew from beginning of 10 plots
to the eventual employment Of SO boys,
each with his own little garden. The
Civitan Club furnished seeds and i'm
plements for the boys and gave party
at the end of the Summer, with prizes
for the best gardens.