THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 47 
only great in size, but in the consequences that were 
to come from it. This important innovation in methods 
of supplying the quartermaster’s store with part of the 
food needed, not only had the backing of the officers in 
charge, but also received the hearty commendation of 
the Secretary of War. It proved of value in many ways. 
At practically all the army camps, there were con- 
siderable amounts of land not required for actual mil- 
itary purposes. These plots varied from a few hundred 
to several thousand acres. There was, however, no 
fund available under the War Department or army 
appropriations which could be used for the purpose of 
placing this land under cultivation and carrying on 
the work. 
At Camp Dix there were 400 acres inside the reser- 
vation which could be immediately utilized for food 
production. Colonel J. S. Fair, assistant to the Acting 
Quatermaster-General, and head of the conservation 
and reclamation division, helped to work out and gave 
his active support to the plan of planting a garden at 
this place. When it was found that the land could be 
used and that Lieutenant-Colonel Edmond Tompkins, 
then Camp Quartermaster, had the men available, the 
National War Garden Commission secured nine big 
motor-trucks and rushed over from Philadelphia, thirty 
miles distant, thirty plows and other garden tools, 
seeds, fertilizer, and other needed material. The final 
arrangements were completed on one day, and on the 
following day the supplies were on hand. 
The Commission’s demonstration war garden at 
