Vacant Lots Cultivation in Philadelphia 
superintendent, may cause forfeiture of the 
allotted land. 
The Association spent some $1,800 the first 
year; ninety-six families were aided and 
vegetables valued at $6,000 were raised. For 
every dollar expended three times as much 
was the financial result. Other results were, 
perhaps, no less important: Hundreds of 
needy people secured a means of independent 
livelihood, were brought into close touch with 
Nature, and learned the value of the blessed 
freedom which comes only to the person who 
can be out of doors; and the work itself re¬ 
ceived a tremendous impetus. Last year 
the total contributions to the Association was 
$5,000, while the value of the product was 
$50,000. While the value increased from 
$6,000 to $50,000, the cost of cultivation per 
garden decreased from $18.25 to $6.16. 
Mr. Powell writes: “Each gardener was 
required to cultivate his garden according to 
one general plan. One-half was planted in 
potatoes; the other in beans, peas, cabbage, 
tomatoes, carrots, turnips, onions, lettuce, 
radishes, etc. The incalculable benefits of 
fresh air and moderate exercise to the physical 
and moral health of every one is well known. 
Men have come to these gardens in the spring 
who had become poor, partly or wholly 
through drink, and hy the end of the season 
have left us sober and industrious citizens. 
What made this change ? Instead of hanging 
around, they found pleasant and profitable 
employment wherein they were their own 
masters. Parents bring little ones along to 
help weed and pick vegetables. Through 
the healthfulness of the work, which is in no 
sense toil, the pale, hollow-cheeked little ones 
become ruddy, bright-eyed laughing joys, 
filled with vigor and happiness before the 
season is over. ‘The country week’ becomes 
a country summer, while the playground 
becomes also a workshop.” 
A pleasant outcome of the work is that 
while the plan was entered upon originally to 
give relief to the poor, now the scope has en¬ 
larged and not only are school children 
taught to cultivate the ground but many of 
those who came to the lots in destitute cir¬ 
cumstances are now cultivating ground on 
their own responsibility and giving employ¬ 
ment to many others. By means of the 
Vacant Lots idea the Civic Club of the city 
has given employment to nearly 2,000 chil¬ 
dren; and the Board of Education has also 
given occupation to a large number. The 
various Homes for orphans now have be¬ 
tween five and six hundred children working 
in their gardens; and at the present time there 
are some 850 families, representing about 
4,000 persons, working on vacant lots in and 
about the city. To these should be added 
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE GRADUATES’ FARM 
The manager standing in the centre of the picture was almost totally paralyzed before taking up this work 
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