102 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 
Even a beautiful city park system loses none of its 
charm when a part of it is turned to utilitarian purposes. 
Historic Boston Common was none the less attractive 
to the passer-by during the season of 1918 because a 
fine demonstration war garden was growing at one 
side of it. Even when the necessities of war do not 
make it such an important and desirable prospect, a 
trim and well-cultivated series of vegetable plots such 
as displayed their patriotic beauty there, would not 
detract from the natural beauty of the landscape. 
Potomac Park, in the shadow of the tall and stately 
Washington Monument, was a constant source of 
pleasure to the thousands of automobilists who sped 
along the river driveway. In the afternoon and twi- 
light the sight of hundreds of war gardeners cultivat- 
ing their vegetable patches in sight of the White House 
and the majestic dome of the Capitol was a picture 
never to be forgotten. Down at the lower end of the 
Chesapeake Bay near where busy transports were 
loading their precious human freight and their supplies 
for France, the Commission on Beautifying the City of 
Norfolk took charge of the war-garden campaign and 
conducted it to a successful conclusion, adding more 
than $200,000 worth of vegetables to the food wealth 
of that rich truck-growing section of the country. 
In New York City an extremely interesting war 
garden was growing in Bryant Park. There in the 
heart of the great metropolis, shaded by over-towering 
sky-scrapers and beside the majestic public library, 
a small war garden spoke its message to the world. 
This demonstration plot was under the direction of 
