THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 123 



A series of canning lessons was prepared by the Com- 

 mission's experts. Tliese were supplied to the news- 

 papers of the country, hundreds of which ran them as 

 daily instructions. With many of them illustrations 

 were used, showing the various steps in the cold-pack 

 method of canning, and giving other educational hints 

 in pictorial form so as to attract the eye of the home 

 food conserver and make the work plainer. News 

 stories telling what was being done along this line in 

 various sections of the country were published in the 

 daily press; and large numbers of feature articles were 

 written and widely circulated. 



To arouse further interest in the work and to encour- 

 age the best possible efforts, recognition was accorded 

 by the National War Garden Commission for excellence 

 of product. This was in addition to local prizes and 

 awards and was in the form of National Capitol Prize 

 Certificates which were given to the blue-ribbon or 

 first-prize winners at exhibits and fairs for the best 

 displays of canned vegetables from war gardens. With 

 these certificates the Commission gave money awards, 

 the first year in cash, and the second year in thrift 

 stamps. 



Many large manufacturing concerns which had ex- 

 tended aid to their employes in planting gardens held 

 fairs at which the products raised were displayed and 

 prizes awarded in the various classes. At a number of 

 these the Commission's certificate constituted the grand 

 prize which went to the sweepstakes-winner in the 

 canned-vegetable class. Not only did hundreds of 



