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There is much that a botanic garden might be doing now in 
botanical exploration to discover new plants or new locations of 
plants important to meet pressing needs, but this requires funds 
quite beyond the present resources of our own Garden. There 
are, however, many other ways in which a botanic garden may 
render war service, especially in aiding civilian activities necessi- 
tated by the war. 
The first thought, of course, is, through gardening and, quite 
naturally through vegetable gardening—doing everything possible 
to promote the raising of food plants. In 1917 and 1918, during 
the World War, the lawns of the Botanic Garden (as elsewhere ) 
were plowed up. The laboratory plaza was given over to garden 
vegetables; a field of potatoes occupied part of the Systematic 
Section. 
On December 19 and 20, 1941, a National Defense Gardening 
Conference in Washington, D. C., was called jointly by the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture and the Office of Defense, Health, and 
Welfare. Delegates representing garden interests were present 
from all sections of the country. The main object was to formu- 
late the horticultural needs of the hour, and outline a long-term 
plan of action by Federal, state, municipal, and private agencies. 
Six committees were established, as follows: 1. Farm vegetable 
gardens ; 2. Farm fruit gardens; 3. Conservation and preservation 
of fruits and vegetables; 4. Community and school gardens; 5. 
Conservation of lawns, flowers, and shrubs; 6. Educational mate- 
— 
rials and techniques. 
These committees, jointly and severally, recommended: 
1. That gardening be recognized as an active part of the war 
effort ; 
2. That opportunity be given to boys and girls, under qualified 
leadership, to participate in a “Victory Garden Program” as an 
integral part of their education; 
3. That, in the Victory Garden Program, gardening be empha- 
sized not only as a means of raising of plants, but as an essential 
part of a productive and useful life ; 
4. That popular information concerning gardening be made 
available through every qualified agency. 
