THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 63 



in another direction than the manufacturers and their 

 employes. This was in the saving effected in trans- 

 portation facilities. These men knew better than any 

 others the urgent demand which essential war shipping 

 was making on freight-cars. They saw and handled 

 daily the vast quantities of raw materials and finished 

 products which had to be hauled. They knew there 

 was a shortage which could not be made up entirely. 

 They were cognizant also that gardening would result 

 in a considerable conservation of carrier space which 

 could help to fill the demand. If hundreds of thousands 

 of workmen in all parts of the United States were grow- 

 ing much of their own food right near their homes, it 

 required no argument to prove that long lines of cars 

 would be released for other service. 



The industrial promotion of the war-garden move- 

 ment was not confined to manufacturers. Railroads, 

 large insurance companies, public utilities in many 

 sections, banks, and those engaged in numerous other 

 lines of industrial and commercial activity, were 

 equally enthusiastic and active in forwarding the move- 

 ment. Gas companies opened demonstration kitchens 

 and gave out thousands of books and other printed 

 matter. Water companies in many places throughout 

 the West, where the land required irrigation for culti- 

 vation, furnished water free to all those who announced 

 their intention of planting war gardens. Banks which 

 helped so unselfishly and patriotically in other cam- 

 paigns, urged home food production upon their patrons 

 by handing to them leaflets pointing out the national 



