Evening star., 1918-04-01
MAR GARDEN DRIVE
OPENS WITH RUSH
Prospects Point to 800 Per
Cent Increase Throughout
Nation Over 1917.
EVEN GREATER FOR D. C.

Formal opening Of the 1918 war gar.
den campaign today found hundreds
Of thousands of men and women. boys
and girls. all over the United States.
enrolled in the army of the SOIL April
1. selected as the date for the official
beysnning Of the war garden drive, 1t
Was stated today at the Department OF
I Agrfcuiture. at the office of the garden
committee Of the District OF Columbia
council of defense, in the Union Trust
building. and at the office of the Ma
tional War Garden Commission, in the
Maryland building, found at least three
times as many individuals and organi-
sations pledged to plant and cultivate
home vegetable gardens this season
~ ever before. The latter commission.
OF which Charles Lathrop Pack is the
head. declared today that figures show
ing q 800 per cent increase over last
year in the number of tillers of the
soil was extremely conservative.
Organization of the District of CO.
lumbia for home vegetable garden
work this summer is more complete
than ever before, and the number OF
hack va IDS and vacant lots to be cutl-
Vated this summer, it is announced, Is
more than three times greater than
the number Of gardens planted last
pear.
Garden Slogans Innumerable.
Slogans innumerable have been put
nth to stimulate interest in war gar
lesn work. Food T. o. B. the kitchen
door, is one that has been spread
broadcast by the war garden commis-
sapn. speed up and spade up" Is an
other. Food must follow the flag
II the caption of striking poster that
Il being used in the war garden pub
your table" is still another OF the
catchy lines used to induce Office men
ana othar city dwellers to plant and
onZ5sa4e their own vA-Stable gardens.
- fsaA that N~ket gardeners In
- reRksA fyaEs which this city nor
NnxIIy draws s-s supplies of fresh vege-
Hhaas have declared they will be com
IS41ed to reduce their acreage this
summer because OF labor shortage has
!: had q powerful influence in the cam
HAign for greater home production OF
ragstahles. With thousands of young
men drawn from the farms and market
nnrdens into camps and cantonments
q into the ranks of those employed on
huxe government contracts. the mar
bot gardeners this spring found them
0olves unable to obtain the labor abso-
nfoly necessary to plow. plant and cul-
Iv9fe the truck gardens
Other Causes of Stimulation.
S3robahility that the railroads. under
s me necessity of using all their rolling
fxoek In the transportation of troops,
Z OAterials and supplies for shipment
&bfpad, would greatly curtail. IL they
dfd not discontinue entirely. the ham
Hing Of perishable stun such as fresh
4egetables, has further stimulated the
z x1mo garden movement.
A. . mass meeting to be held at s
q deck tomorrow evening in the public
txAry, under the auspices of the gar
&4tN committee of the District of Column
- Council Of Defense. plans for the
DFeeent seasons garden campaign are
a ~ be discussed and talks are to be
I44e by . number Of experts assigned
~ the Department of Agriculture to
44dress the meeting. Representatives
- practically every citizens associa-
Z Hen In the District of Columbia are to
- present. to tell what has been done
ma what is planned by the organiza-
3on1 they represent It Is stated that
;s4yery cttixens organisation in the Dis
4dct OF Columbia whose territory in.
eludes back yards of sufficient size to
4 produce anything in the way Of yeee-
1eoiess or vacant lots that may be
4&nted with food crops, has enlisted in
ne war garden campaign.