98 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 
lots are being planted;” “We believe we have the best 
war gardens in the United States.” Each city wanted 
to make a record in food production. It is through 
rivalry of this sort that cities progress. 
War gardening, again, is an asset to any city in that 
it adds to that city’s material wealth. All food grown 
adds just so much to a city’s wealth. In the first place 
gardening gives the individual more money. By plant- 
ing a home garden he reduces his own expenses, saving 
many dollars on his market and grocery bills. Whether 
he saves and invests this money in some local enter- 
prise, or spends it for necessities or even luxuries, the 
community benefits. The money goes into houses and 
lots, into automobiles, books, furniture, pianos, cloth- 
ing, into everything, in fact, that modern man needs 
for his comfort and happiness. Thus while he is help- 
ing himself, he is also helping the merchants and the 
tradesmen of the city. He is adding to his own and 
the community’s resources. 
The financial gain to a city from the war-gardening 
enterprise is strikingly revealed by figures on the 
amount of produce raised. A few cases will be illus- 
trative. For instance, Indianapolis estimated the value 
of its war-garden crop in 1918 at #1,473,165, an in- 
crease of more than #600,000 over the previous year. 
Denver placed its yield at #2,500,000 and Los Ange- 
les at #1,000,000. The figures for a few other cities 
were as follows: Minneapolis, #1,750,000; Washing- 
ton, District of Columbia, #1,396,500; Grand Rapids, 
Michigan, #900,000; Salt Lake City, Utah, #750,000; 
