WAK AND THE FOOD PROBLEM 



529 



HAVE SOME CARROTS? 



Who could refuse such fresh and palatable looking vegetables as are here 

 shown? These carrots were raised in a home garden and canned by the 

 cold pack process, 



prize will be awarded a certificate to serve as a perma- 

 nent record for the holder. The only stipulations are 

 that the canned goods entered in the contests shall be 

 home canned and the product of a home garden in a city, 

 town or village. Keen interest has been shown in the 

 prizes and so general has been the response from fair 

 officials as to indicate that the competition will be one 

 of the most popular ever conducted on a national scale. 



While popular interest is now concentrated on can- 

 ning, drying and storage, the echoes of food gardening 

 pour into the Washington offices of the conxmission in 

 never ending stream. Typical photographs taken from 

 the day's mail are those from Cleveland, Ohio, repro- 

 duced in this issue of American Forestry. In Cleveland 

 the home gardening movement made a remarkable show- 

 ing. Through the activities of a war garden committee 

 appointed by Mayor Harry L. Davis, and with the co- 

 operation of the National Emergency Food Garden Com- 

 mission, the Ohio metropolis blossomed with food gar- 

 dens from center to circumference. Chairman George 

 A. Schneider was the active head of the mayor's com- 

 mittee and he carried on his work with an enthusiasm and 

 effectiveness that have won recognition for him as one 

 of the most successful of the year's leaders in enterprises 

 of this nature. 



In the work of individual gardeners an example of 



what may be accomplished in small space is given by the 

 results of the home garden of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Betty 

 at West Point, Mississippi. On a piece of land less than 

 70 feet square the Betty family has produced and is still 

 producing all the vegetables used on the table of a fam- 

 ily of three for seven months, giving a supply that will 

 continue until Christmas. In addition to this yield the 

 garden provided the material for 640 cans of fruits and 

 vegetables, prepared by Mrs. Betty on a small home can- 

 ner. As an added measure of crop value may be men- 

 tioned the realization of $30.00 in cash from the sale 

 of products not suitable for canning. Other results are 

 one peck of dried corn, one peck of dried butter beans, 

 one peck of California white peas, sufficient good seeds 

 for next spring's planting, a good crop of potatoes and 

 sweet potatoes, 10 pumpkins, 150 collards for winter 

 and a 70 foot row of peanuts. The total expense for the 

 garden was less than $5.00 and the expense for cans, 

 canner and fuel less than $30.00. 



This garden may be taken as typical of the results 

 achieved by home gardeners throughout the land. Their 

 contribution to the resources of the nation is tremendous. 

 Their yield in individual comfort and satisfaction to 

 their owners is of similar worth. Of no less value is 

 the object lesson in thrift which these gardens have fur- 

 nished. In the case of the Betty garden this thrift pre- 

 vailed from seed time to harvest. Even the grass and 

 weeds on the planting site were not wasted. All vegeta- 

 ble matter of this nature removed from the garden plot 

 was saved to use in enriching the soil. This utilization 

 extended throughout the season with the maturity of 



COMMUNITY CANNING WORK. 



The Commission recommends cooperative canning and drying. If several 

 families join forces and buy equipment the cost is slight to each household. 

 By working together at some central place the work is easier for all. 



