In all cases cash prizes are awarded only when at least three- 
quarters of the work is done by the owners themselves. 
The winners of the fourth contest will also receive small cash prizes 
and ribbons. 
The success in the children's department is already very gratify- 
ing, over 400 gardens being now in operation. The children are very 
keen about it and are at work sometimes at 5 130 a. m. 
Before and after, pictures will be taken, if the contestants so desire, 
and will be exhibited at the September flower and vegetable show. 
This scheme is, I suppose, the one usually adopted by community im- 
provement societies, and I have refrained from enlarging on it. We 
have had the plans of the Davenport, Iowa Club, before us and would 
like to succeed as fully as they have done, but since our appeal was 
solely through the daily papers, and since no house to house campaign 
was made, it is doubtful if we arouse so much interest and competition. 
It is our first attempt and will doubtless be improved next year. 
Albert Lockwood. 
The Bedford Garden Club 
One of the new and interesting features of our Garden Club's 
activities this year has been its Community Week. 
A Committee for ''Village and Roadside Planting" was formed. 
Sub- commit tees divide the work, such as "Village Improvement," 
School-ground planting, and the encouragement of children to plant 
their own home gardens and compete at our exhibitions with flowers 
of their own raising. There is also a sub-committee to confer with 
the railroad officials about beautifying the right of way and station 
grounds. The sub-committee for "Village Planting" have worked 
with the local Village Improvement Societies. 
In Bedford Hills the station square has been laid out with trees 
and hedges. In Mt. Kisco a waste of public land is to be planted as a 
public park with children's playgrounds. The rural district schools 
have been much improved and present a pleasing appearance. In 
some school windows boxes have been put up and the children are 
encouraged to keep them watered. Shrubbery and hedges have been 
planted round the school grounds and the children are instructed to 
keep these in order. Flower exchanges have been held at the schools. 
Our Papers and Topics Committee has given us the following 
programs during the past season: 
March 1. — Speaker, Mr. William E. Bliz-Zard; subject, "Famous 
Gardens of Europe and Suggestions for Civic Planting; illus- 
trated with lantern slides. 
April 5. — Visit to greenhouses of the Bedford Flower Company. 
