Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-24
Mrs. Wetmore's Appeal.


present. and today Mrs. Charles W.
Wetmore, president of the club, made
a similar appeal through the press
This appeal was:
You can do your bit by helping to
Increase the food supply.
VIII you join a committee?
Will you contribute to the fund?
will you cultivate vacant landg''
All persons are asked to address the
Capital Garden Club. 2343 street sig
nifying under which of these heads
they will extend aid to the movement
1t makes me impatient to hear per-
sons say, Washington cannot do much
alone" said Mrs. Wetmore at the
meeting yesterday afternoon. This is
the argument of the individual Stacker
What is one soldier among thousands?
He helps to make the million that win
war. What is one city in the midst
of the coming food shortage we have
heard about today Alongside other
cities which are taking up this move
ment the National Capital can do its
part IN raising food"
Charles F Nesbit. John Dolph. E. L.
Thurston, q. II. Benson and Carl Vroo-
mar We're other speakers yesterday
afternoon.
Tells What the Movement Means.
A home garden may be little
thinS, said Mr.. Vrooman, assistant
secretary of agriculture. so is a flag
little thing. But the flag represents
all that is worth living for. So home
garden. before long. among the ag-
gregate of home gardens may repre-
senIthls countrys patriotic service in
raisAng enough foodstuffs TO feed ma
ton in war time"
MIR. Srooman warned against planting
too many perishable crops He said
sucnz crops as peas and beans. which
can easily be saved for winter use
without the use of glass and tin, which
are Becoming scarce should be con-
sideEed by all gardeners.
Mr. Nesbit said that the movement
already had resulted in the planting OF
at least 1000 gardens in Washinpton
on land which hitherto had not been
cultivated.
Mre Dolph declared mo proposition
know. OF contains more of the element of
insurance than gardening, lust now
Mr.. Dolph said he had been Informed by
+. w Bolgiano. seed dealer that there
had been an increase of go per cent in
ms sales of seeds this season Mr..
Bolgiano usually distributes 135 600
passages of seeds to schools: this wear
SsO, 900 already have been distributed
and there is a demand for more
Later superintendent of Schools
Thurston called attention to the differ
emit character of seeds used this season
In the schools, a lessened demand for
nower seeds and an increased demand
1or vegetable seeds
Estimate of Funds Needed.
Mr. Dolph presented budget of the
funds needed for the use of the central
committee, estimating that for payment
OF a secretary. engaging assistants for
r. NJ Connolly, assigned by the Depart
ment OF Agriculture to promote garden
Ing work in Washington and for seed
ana fertilizer, an amount of 1920 would
De needed, He added that the movement
was growing so fast that more might
De used TO advantage. Mr.. Dolph EN-
phasized the moral benefits of garden
ing. saying that IL children and adults
could be persuaded to take part in this
WORK, many problems like disease crime
ana poverty would automatically be
ainellordted in a great degree
Mr.. Benson termed the boy gardeners
soldiers IN Uncle Sans commissary de-
Partnent He said that not only pro-
duction. but distribution, is one of the
ng 1000 problems. and he urged that
canning and preserving foods would tend
10 bridge the months between the time of
overproduction In summer and the period
OF food shortage next winter.
Asks Aid of Loyal Americans.
In concluding his address Mr.. Vrooman
said:
Il bespeak for this garden movement
the participation. to the full extent Of
their abilities. of all loyal Americans.
Yesterday Mr.. Connolly visited demon
stration gardens in Congress Heights
Randle Highlands and Anacostia and
found that as many as $50 persons We're
assembled at some of these plots for in
struction in garden work
Millions Lost in Flooded Mines.