March, 1914 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
165 
When it is impossible to prevent the placing of telegraph or telephone poles in prominent places, 
their unsightliness can be mitigated by the planting of vines; this example is a well-grown 
trumpet vine 
the owner of a vacant lot should be induced to keep it in 
attractive condition, but let us look at this from his point 
of view. He buys a plot as an investment. He, per¬ 
haps, lives in another part of the village, or even farther 
away. The lot is an expense, for it brings no income, 
while taxes and assessments must be paid. Why should 
he go to additional expense to make improvements 
which will be beneficial to those living in the vicinity, 
but of no value to him? It is seldom that an owner of 
such a lot will aid in its improvement, but there is 
usually no difficulty in obtaining his consent tb allow it 
to be cleaned up. 
After obtaining the co-operation or consent of the 
owner, the next question is what to do with the lot after 
the rubbish has been cleared away. Usually a planting 
of grass seed is all that is desired, with perhaps a flower¬ 
bed, if it is so located that it can be cared for and pro¬ 
tected. There are many uses to which lots may be put 
which add to their utility, as well as their beauty. School 
gardens, play-grounds, tennis courts and public resting 
places are often very acceptable solutions. In a few in¬ 
stances such lots have been used as nurseries for your 
street trees. The care of young trees, however, par- 
ticularlv if they are taken from the woods, requires more 
time and experience than is usually available. 
There is almost no limit to the work which such asso¬ 
ciations may undertake. In one village an annual spring 
clean-up week has been established. Throughout the 
community, rubbish of all kinds is taken from back 
yard, attic and cellar and placed on the side of the street, 
where it is gathered up in wagons and carried away. 
Vacant lots are cleaned at the same time. 
Many associations carry on active campaigns against the erec¬ 
tion of bill-boards. This is one of the .most difficult problems, 
because bill-boards are a source of revenue to property owners. 
Legislation has been suggested making the erection of bill-boards 
sometimes causes trouble when it becomes necessary to replace the 
poles. Climbing vines trained to cover telegraph poles will lessen 
their unsightliness. 
(Continued on page 234) 
and signs illegal under certain condi¬ 
tions. 
In other villages good work has been 
done in eliminating telegraph poles. 
This requires either special village or¬ 
dinances or the cooperation of the light¬ 
ing and telephone companies. 
Where it has been found impossible 
to place the wires in conduits under 
ground it has often proven possible to 
have the poles placed along the back 
line of the property. While this im¬ 
proves the appearance of the street, it 
The restriction of the Woman's Club prevents 
more surely than does that of the policeman 
A trolley line would have utterly ruined the roadside appearance of this wooded park had not the local association 
seeded the road bed and planted screening but attractive vegetation 
