1 1 4 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 theUnited States 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 on 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 
