CHAPTER XXVI 



COMMUNITY GARDENS 



ONE of the most useful of gardening or 

 civic improvements may be carried on 

 by groups of citizens in community gardens. 

 In a few cities this effort has been stimulated 

 by civic pride and public spirited organiza- 

 tions, and the gardens, having been supervised 

 by a practical gardener, have reached the high- 

 est degree of success. The gardener in charge 

 should be paid a good salary so that he may be 

 expected to devote all of his time and interest 

 to this work. The hit or miss, unschooled and 

 unskilled directing of garden work has been 

 and will always be a failure. 



There are in every city, town and village, 

 vacant lots which grow up to weeds each sum- 

 mer and are only breeding places for insects 

 and disease. These lots if used for gardens in 



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