THE NEW FREEDOM-OF FOOD 



469 



MODKL FOOD GARDENS AT SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 



These gardens are planted and cultivated by the employees of the Oliver Chilled Plow Co., which provides the land for them and aids them to make 

 the garden successful. Similar co-operation between employer and employees in many sections of the country has resulted in thousands of acres 

 being planted and many thousands of dollars worth of vegetables being raised. 



In this way we should follow the example set for us 

 by nature in her unwillingness to allow waste to enter 

 into her scheme of o])eration. Every American home 

 should become a laboratory for the transmutation of 

 food surplus into food values. In this undertaking; we 

 have a distinct advantage over nature, in that no loss 

 of time is involved. To change forests into coal takes 

 generations. ^ Even the conversion of vegetable matter 

 into enriched soil is a slow ])rocess. Food saving, how- 

 ever, is a matter of the moment and involves no loss of 

 time in waiting for results. It can be accomplished so 

 fjuickly and so easily and its benefits are so definite that 

 one wonders why a world war was needed to bring us 

 to realization of its advantages. 



This country has been notoriously extravagant in the 

 use of its food sup])ly. The British army in I<"rance and 

 a large portion of the French army as well could live 

 comfortably on the food 

 which has been allowed to 

 go to waste in America 

 from year to year. This 

 annual waste is estimated 

 at $700,000,000 and this 

 figure is believed to be too 

 low. Be the amount what 

 it may it is appalling and 

 inexcusable. Translated 

 from dollars into concrete 

 and definite possibilities it 

 means that .sheer reckless- 

 ness in the matter of food 

 destruction might easily 



LETTING THE SUNSHINE DO YOUR WORK 



'lb.- simplest form r,f vegetable and fruit drying is to spread the slices in 

 the sunshine. The trays here pictured are made of light wooden framework 

 with galvanized wire netting. By having the trays raised two or three 

 inches above the ground air circulation is provided. 



wipe out all hope of success for .Vmerica and her allies 

 in the European war. To win the great conflict we must 

 defeat the domestic enemy the wanton waste of our 

 foodstufl^s. 



Much of this waste may be prevented in the home. 

 The natural thrift of the housewife must be given en- 

 thusiastic support by the entire family. We must over- 

 come the idle prejudice against warmed-over dishes. 

 If the ruler of the kitchen takes the trouble to prepare 

 in tasty form something left from a previous meal we 

 should marvel at her skill and show our ajjpreciation 

 of her resourcefulness. Sarcastic continents on the re- 

 ajjpearance of yesterday's dinner should be punishable 

 by fine and imprisonment for grown-U]) offenders, and 

 by adequate aj^plication of the, corrective slipjjer to those 

 ot more tender years and anatomies. In short, we must 

 all do our share to encourage the housewife in the prac- 

 tice of thrift in the use of 

 her food sup])ly. Each of 

 us has a responsibility 

 along the line of making 

 certain that nothing edible 

 is thrown away. With mili- 

 tary authorities agreed that 

 the outcome of the war is 

 a matter of food supply, 

 every food saving, trivial 

 and unimportant as it may 

 seem of itself, adds to the 

 aggregate o f t h e su]5ply 

 which must be availal)le if 

 victory is to be made cer- 



