48 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 



Camp Dix was a success from the start. It furnished an 

 inspiration and gave impetus to the work all over the 

 United States; and soon similar plots growing "Food 

 F. O. B. the Mess Tent Door" were under way in a 

 number of other camps. Thousands of war gardeners 

 redoubled their efforts because of the knowledge that the 

 men in the American army were doing similar patriotic 

 work. "Over the Top with the Boys at Camp Dix!" 

 became a new slogan which aroused genuine enthusi- 

 asm and put new spirit into the back-yard and vacant- 

 lot tillage. 



After the Commission had provided the means for 

 starting the project, Lieutenant-Colonel Tompkins 

 placed it in the hands of Captain E. V. Champlin, con- 

 servation and reclamation qfhcer of the camp, and the 

 latter selected as farm officer Lieutenant John F. Bon- 

 ner, an energetic young officer who was a graduate of 

 an agricultural college and who had also enjoyed a 

 practical farming experience. 



Major-General Hugh L. Scott, commanding officer 

 at Camp Dix, took a keen personal interest in the proj- 

 ect. He made several trips of inspection over the 

 gardens, accompanied on two of these occasions by 

 Mrs. Scott, to see how the work was progressing and 

 to encourage the young officers in charge. He expressed 

 his appreciation to Captain Champlin and to Lieutenant 

 Bonner, actively in charge of the farm enterprise, 

 and to their assistants, for the excellent results they 

 were obtaining. His interest caused the boys to work 

 with an added will. 



