GARDENING AFTER THE WAR 63 



Tacoma, Wash., 3,966 children, $191,425 crop (probably adult 

 gardens are included in this figure); Cincinnati, Ohio, 11,000 

 children, $38,000 crop; Seattle, Wash., 8,000 children, $60,000 

 crop; Boston, ISIass., 10,000 children, $100,000 crop. 



Wherever school garden work has been done previously to some 

 degree, the U. S. S. G. A., with its insignia, posters, and direct 

 pledge to the Government was found to greatly increase the en- 

 rollment of pupils, and in other cities it made the introduction of 

 such work possible. The scope of the work for 1919 was therefore 

 greatly enlarged. To the five regional and one general director 

 previously appointed were added nineteen assistant regional 

 directors, who have spent the fall and winter in the field organizing 

 for a total of 5,000,000 gardens this spring. They have influenced 

 local boards of education to appropriate money for garden super- 

 vision, have cooperated with agricultural colleges in putting on 

 short courses this spring for the intensive training of teachers, have 

 furnished tens of thousands of garden manuals and leaflets, all 

 freshly ■v\Titten, for class room use. 



May we not now answer the question presented at the opening 

 and agree that the war time reaction on our gardening is entirely 

 and abundantly constructive? The year 1919 will be the greatest 

 garden j^ear yet realized, the pledge of the Food Administration 

 for "two-thirds more food for export" imposing as great an obliga- 

 tion upon the small gardens as did the war itself. 



We have then as never before a background, or foundation upon 

 which to work for an expansion of gardening in the immediate 

 future, viz: greater commercial activity ; liquid assets; accelerated 

 interest in outdoor affairs; thousands upon thousands of recruits 

 of the present generation; a live children's interest; development 

 of new homes ; organized knowledge among women of an intelligent 

 class; and above all, the public sanction that has been given to the 

 tiller of the soil. 



A Renaissance? 



What now are the agencies through which this great latent 

 power can be turned into effective use? All these recruits to 

 garden activity are creating a demand for more supplies, tools, 



