HOME FOOD PRODUCERS OF AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 264, 4 August 1919, Page 7

HOME FOOD PRODUCERS OF AMERICA

WORLD FOOD FIGHT CONTINUED

NATIONAL WAR GARDEN COMMISSION ' Tho war gardeners of the United States, of whom thcro were more than 5,000,000 in 1918, have not ceased their activities because military operations ' havo come to an end. They have turned their war gardensJnto victory gardens, and are cultivating the back yards and vacant lots in cities and towns all over tho country with as inuch patriotic enthusiasm as they showed during the war in growing food. Reports to the National War Garden Commission indicate that the final count will show more victory gardens in 1919 than there were war gardens in 1917 or 1918. Tho commission has continued its campaign for homo food production ' this year because it realised the world need, and that if America were to keep its promise to ship vast quantities of staples abroad there must be no let-up in the cultivation of all available laud. On this account it called on the city farmer again this your to do his share, and the responso has been remarkable. Tho home soldiers of the soil have shouldered their hoes and have gone into the gardens determined to beat tho enemy hunger in tho same way they helped to crush tho Huns. The commission again this year 'has furnished the Press of tho cuun.ry with short daily garden lossons for tho instruction of the home food growers. It has supplied frco garden booklets to 'anybody wlio applies, and its posters havo been displayed all over the country. It lias also distributed hundreds of thoui sands of canning and drying booklets to aid in the conservation of all surplus garden products so that nothing go to waste. Manufacturing and industrial concerns of all sorts, including the railroads, banks, chambevs of commerce and other trade bodies, banks, libraries, women's clubs, state, county aid city officials . local committees and other organisations have co-operated with the National War Garden Commission in spreading tho message and urging upon the people tho importance of continuing the work of increasing food supplies. "One of the big features of the campaign has been the part taken by manufacturing companies in keeping up the interest in gardening among thoir employes," said Sir. Charles Lathrop Pack, president of the National War Garden Commission. "Ono concern, whoso men cultivated moro than 100 acres of land, furnished them last year by tho company, with 2000 moro of tho workers having gardens at their homes, reports that i the undertaking 'is Cooked upon by tho j company and its employees as a permanent institution.' This is typical of many reports received by the Commission. One big mining company, with plants at different places in three States, says that most of its 9000 workers are interested in gardening, and it is helping them. The 7000 workers' at the Eock Island Arsenal also have entered actively into the campaign. The United States Railroad Administration has co-operated''closely with the commission by placing posters in stations along tho lines under its oontrol, and by distributing free garden books. Lund along the rights-of-way not needed for railroad purposes has been turned over to the men for garden purposes, and they are planting Victory Gardens everywhere. Among leading manufacturing concerns which are encouraging and as-, fisting their men to garden aio tho American Woollen Company, the Carnegie Steel Company, the United Shoe Machinery Corporation, the General Electric Company, tho American tolling Mill Company, the Westinghouso Electric and Manufacturing Company, the Eastman Kodak Company, and so on through a long list. "Asido from its vaiiuo as a food pro-, ducer, and as a means of helping to win tho world food war and make secure tho fruits of viotory, the home garden has proved its worth, and is 'being encouraged for other reasons. Banks realise that tho man who plants a garden is thrifty and becomes a. better customer, and so they are helping through economic as well as patriotic reasons. The garden path tads to the bank counter, they know. Chambers of Commerce and city beautificntion committees recognise that it makes for the added wealth and for the improvement of tho community. Tho garden is lying used in civic betterment work because it knits the home ties more securely. Gardening, has been ono of the features in tho "own-a-home" campaign this year. In | connection with the training and cducai lion of children and their encouragement ' (o outdoor life, n more intensive cami paign than ever has been carried on i among the school children of the nation. They have been organised into (ho United States School Garden .Army by the Federal Bureau of Education with which the National War Garden Commission has been co-operating closely. "The returning soldier is thinking of food production because ho realises perhaps better than anyone also how important it was in winning the war and how much the peoples abroad will need I large food supplies for a long tiino to come. Tho commission lias received letters from soldiers in Franco and, elsewhere and from American sailors asking that garden books ho sent to the families at homo. As tho soldiers caiuo back~c.no of the first things many of them ' did was to start a little garden ou some vacant plot. This has served as an inspiration to others to keep up the good work." Many applications for informal ion and data which have come to the commission from foreign countries havo been filk-d. These have oomo from all parts of the world. In a memorial volume which lias been prepared by Mr. Pack, showing what the home "soldier of tho toil" did as a 1 war measure, tho opinion is expressed that the war gardener, now transformed into a victory gardener, has come to stay.