CHAPTER XIII 



THE FUTURE OF WAR GARDENING 



The Fruits of Peace to Spring from the Seeds of Victory 



COMING events, we are told, cast their shadows 

 before. Among the prophetic shadows now hov- 

 ering over us is a finger of cloud which points to 

 vital changes in the business of feeding the world. In- 

 deed, these changes are already taking place. In part 

 they have taken place, but many of us, being of those 

 who have eyes yet do not see, are still unaware that the 

 old order has changed and that the new order of things 

 has come to pass. 



No other single occupation born of the war has 

 affected a greater number of people than has gardening. 

 Starting from a mere nothing before the United States 

 entered the war, this form of service grew in less than 

 two years into a new occupation, which numbered its 

 followers by the millions and, in the number of people 

 employed, exceeded any other branch of gainful occu- 

 pation with the single exception of actual farming. 



The fact that such a vast number of American citi- 

 zens took up this work shows that they appreciated 

 the merit of it, and this is one of the reasons for the 

 confident prediction that war gardening has come to 

 stay. It is something that the world will not willingly 

 let die. Home food production will continue because 



it has been found worth while; and, like other things 



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