152 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 
The policy of the Department of Agriculture in regard 
to the use of the drying fund of $250,000 appropriated 
by Congress, will be of great economic significance. 
Such a fund has been strongly needed, and makes 
possible enlarged and nation-wide help in the urgent 
matter of drying vegetables and fruits, and placing 
them in the homes of the people. 
The appropriation will be used in conducting further 
experiments with dehydration of food products and 
carrying this knowledge to the American people. The 
Secretary of Agriculture has appointed Major S. C. 
Prescott, who was in the food division of the surgeon 
general’s office, United States army, and Mr. Lou D. 
Sweet, of the United States Food Administration, as a 
committee to carry out the purposes of the appropria- 
tion. Major Prescott was professor of micro-biology at 
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before he 
was called into war service. 
When the appropriation became available, plans were 
promptly made for beginning the dehydration experi- 
ments. Able construction engineers and other experts 
whose services could be helpful were called in to aid in 
this work which Mr. Sweet characterizes as “one of the 
biggest benefits that has come to the American people 
as a result of the war. ” Soon after the committee was 
organized plans were under way looking to the construc- 
tion of several dehydration plants with a capacity each 
of from 60,000 to 100,000 pounds daily of raw product. 
These plants are not to be built by the government 
but by private corporations with which the government 
