The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS
Have you a garden spot?

Have you a garden spot? If so, is 1t planted, and If not why not2 You will need it before the sum- mer is over.
 I'm not talking about a flower garden. I mean a vegetable one filled with peas, other varieties that can be raised in this climate.
 The food question is to the front. Even the President urges that every available bit of land be cultivated, Here in Bir- mingham the real estate exchange is of- ferlng to lend vacant land to those who will cultivate it.
 The Civic association has had Mrs. Mathis to speak on the best way to re- duce the cost of living and she has ad- dressed the Chamber of Commerce on the subject.
 Possibly you may be rich enough to buy all the vegetables you need, but that does not absolve you from the duty of planting garden if you have the ground. Vegetable raising at this point of time is true patriotism.
 You frequently hear the sportsmen re- fer to certain people as pot" hunters. It is to convict them of loving the game more than the sport.
 
 This is no time for sportsmanship in gardening. Fancy gardens are not the thing. The mere joy of raising rare spe- cies will not supply the want. The thing needed is something that will fill the pot. Be a pot" gardener.
 Not only are the real estate men and the civic bodies interested in gardening, but our city fathers are behind the movement. The way George Ward keeps hammering at it you would think he was 8 farmer.
 George is right in line with President Wilson. What is needed is more food. There is no sense in sitting idly by and leaving untitled ground all around us, and then kicking because vegetables are high and hard to get.
 The savior of this day will be the man who will multiply the food crops of Ala bama. Civilization and commerce grew from mans need of foods and the ex- change of foods between the different na>- tions of the earth.
 
 Our big industries in the district realize the importance of gardens The Tennes- see Coal. Iron and Railroad company have for years paid great attention to the subject and helped its employees In many ways. I have already told the story of the Alabama Coal Operators as- sociation.
 I have been going about among the seed men and they are as busy as bees. They say they have neverd had such season. They can hardly supply the demand. I watched with interest the various types of men and women who were mak- ing purchases There was much good natured jollying among the buyers. I saw many whom I neverd dreamed of as gar deners. Some prided themselves in being old-timers, while others laughingly ad- mitted it was their first offense
 
 It was amusing to hear amateurs trying to tell some of the old professionals what to buy and how to plant. There was a large sprinkling of sure enough truck gardeners in the bunch and you could see the pity they poured out on the small plot pikers and the disdain they gave to the advice they were proffering. My, how the seed business has grown in Birmingham within my memory. re- member when druggists and few grocers carried assorted boxes, but now there are large stores and great warehouses carrying stocks to meet the growing needs.
 Talk about Improvements in store fix tures-and it's wonderful how many con- veniences have been installed in shoe, millinery, clothing. hardware, and de- partment stores-but the seedsmen have not Jagged behind but have put in the their places attractive.
 Come downtown and make a visit to the seedhouses. It may result in your spading up that back yard that is now an eyesore to your wife and neighbors
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