THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 157 
of the habits and customs which were in vogue in the 
earlier days may now be taken up again w T ith profit. 
Among these is the drying of vegetables and fruits. 
Thanks to the careful study and research which have 
been given to this subject, the work can now be per- 
formed with greater ease and with more certainty of 
success than was possible in the past. 
Canning is the method which the average American 
housewife uses in laying by a store of garden products 
for winter consumption. A great impetus was given to 
this process by the Civil War; and now it seems as if 
another war were to be responsible for the introduction 
to the world, on a large scale, of another food conserva- 
tion process, namely that of drying. As the possibili- 
ties, advantages and details of operation of this process 
become better known, it will take a larger and larger 
place both in the home and as a commercial proposition. 
Important factors to be taken into consideration by 
the victory gardener in connection with food drying, 
are the saving in containers and in pantry-space. Al- 
most any sort of a receptacle can be employed for the 
storage of dried food. Baking-powder cans and similar 
covered tins, pasteboard boxes having tight-fitting 
covers, strong paper bags, and patented paraffin-paper 
boxes which may be bought in quantities at slight ex- 
pense, make excellent containers for this class of pre- 
served food. They are not heavy and so do not require 
especially strong shelves. Besides they do not occupy 
much space — a thing which in many homes is at a 
premium. 
