THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 123 
A series of canning lessons was prepared by the Com- 
mission’s experts. These 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 pres v s; 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 
