114 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 



Czechs, the Jugoslavs, the starving population of North- 

 ern Russia and the people of other countries in Europe. 



The revision of figures necessitated by the armistice 

 gave new meaning to America's responsibility. The 

 original pledge madeby theUnitedStates was 17,500,000 

 tons of food to be shipped overseas during the year. 

 This amount of food was 50 per cent, greater than that 

 which was sent the year before. With Belgium and 

 France liberated and millions in south central Europe 

 clamoring for food, the United States undertook to 

 increase its exports from 17,500,000 to 20,000,000 tons. 



To meet the demands for food America has two 

 sources of supply. Food can be raised only en the 

 farms, by those who make a business of production, and 

 on the lands of our cities, towns and villages. No other 

 sources exist. The 40,000,000 acres of farm land under 

 cultivation have already probably reached their maxi- 

 mum of possible production for the immediate present. 

 It is obvious, therefore, that if we are to give the world 

 more food the new supply which will make this possible 

 must come from the only remaining source — the small 

 gardens in our urban and suburban communities. 



The changed conditions brought into being by the 

 signing of the armistice caused the National War Gar- 

 den Commission to continue its work with increased 

 earnestness in 1919. The armistice caused hostilities 

 to be suspended but it did not increase the food supply 

 nor feed the hungry. The world's new demand for food 

 made it imperative that the Victory Gardens meet and 

 surpass the record of the war gardens. To do its share 



