76 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 



In response to official request, these were furnished by 

 the Commission in sufficient quantities for circulation 

 among the schools of America. The Commission's book 

 "War Vegetable Gardening" was made the standard 

 book of instructions and it reached every school in the 

 land through the machinery of the United States School 

 Garden Army. In similar way the Commission's book 

 on canning and drying was distributed and given official 

 recognition in the educational world. 



The satisfactory results achieved through the cooper- 

 ation of the two organizations was given expression 

 by Director Francis in the following letter to the Com- 

 mission under date of October 5th, 1918: 



My dear Mr. Ridsdale: 



I do not feel that I should allow the Garden season 

 of 1917-1918 to close without acknowledging to you the 

 very great service the National War Garden Commis- 

 sion has rendered the United States School Garden 

 Army organization, and telling you that we deeply 

 appreciate the cordial, earnest way in which you have 

 cooperated with us in working out our problem. 



For 1919 the work of the United States School Garden 

 Army was further expanded and standardized. Per- 

 ceiving the value of school cooperation through the 

 Bureau of Education, the National War Garden Com- 

 mission prepared special printings of the victory editions 

 of these books. 



These are for the exclusive use of the United States 

 School Garden Army. On the front cover of the school 

 edition of each book appears a reproduction in the 



