PARK AND CEMETERY . 
288 
A YEAR OF HOME GARDENING IN CLEVELAND 
The work of the Home Gardening 
Association of Cleveland, O., has fre- 
quently been noted in these pages as 
one of the most advanced movements 
for civic gardening in the country and 
our readers are familiar with the gen- 
eral plan of its work. With the hand- 
some annual report just issued the asso- 
ciation celebrates this year its tenth an- 
niversary. The meagre beginnings have 
led to substantial accomplishments. 
Each year some advance has been 
made either in the improvement of 
work already begun, or in the addi- 
tion of new features. The seed disr 
tribution has increased in volume 
and extended to a wider circle of or- 
ganizations; the home gardens have 
become more numerous; the school 
gardens have broadened their scope 
until they touch school life at many 
points; vacant lots have been made 
beautiful and a source of supply for 
family tables; the training gardens 
have been a preparatory school from 
which one boy has gone to college 
and means have been provided to 
send others next year. As the work 
has gone forward, and understanding 
of the situation has come, two needs 
are clearly apparent. One is the im- 
provement of city environment, the 
other is the discovery and encourage- 
ment of the desire, felt by some who 
are in. the city, to cultivate land in the 
country. The Home Gardening As- 
sociation has helped 'heretofore to 
meet the first of these needs. It is 
now ready to give attention to the 
other. 
The seed distribution amounted to 
767,611 packets in 1909, of these 255,- 
000 packets were distributed through 
the Cleveland schools, and 421,;611 
packets through schools and organ- 
izations outside of Cleveland. Bulbs 
to the number of 137,000 were also 
distributed. 
The school garden work has been 
extended and improved during the 
year. Gardens are now established 
in twelve school yards and in four va- 
cant lots. At these places there are 
six gardens for normal children, nine 
for defective children, one for back- 
ward children, and one for delinquent 
children. Special needs are met by 
two kitchen gardens, two economic 
gardens, two formal flower gardens, 
two nurseries for trees and shrubs, 
one botanic garden and one nursery 
for the Oakland Manual Training 
School. 
The decoration of school grounds 
has received constant attention from 
the Curator of School Gardens. The 
space about the buildings is no longer 
A VACANT LOT BEHIND A BILLBOARD- 
MADE TO YIELD AN ABUNDANT HARVEST. 
A VACANT SPACE AMONG THE MILLS— 
AND THE VEGETABLES THAT WERE MADE TO GROW IN IT. 
