Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-08
100000 WAR GARDENS
IN THE U.S.. AID PERSHING
President of National Commission
Predicts ,5OO,OOO,OOO Quarts of
Canned Food for Year

The gardeners Of the United States
answered Pershings call to keep the food
coming There are, according to figures
being tabuated by the National war Garden
Commission, 100000 war gardens In the
United States.
These figures are incomplete but they indi-
cate an increase of 30 per cent over last year.
Figuring in the increased cost this year over
last further estimates will be made by the
commission both on the number of gardens
and the estimated crop value.
Taking these early figures into consider
ation,' said Charles Lathrop Pack. president
of the commission, in making public the pre-
liminary survey together with the increased
canning demonstration work being done by
the United States Department of Agriculture
, in cities and towns. we feel safe In saying
tho 1.5oo000,0O0 quarts in tin and glass Of
canned stuff forecast by the department will
be reached
The report points to the early planting sea-
son this year, which was made possible by
weather generally favorable throughout the
country. TO encourage saving the garden
crop the National War Garden Commission,
which planted a 4OO-acre demonstration war
in prizes for the best canned vegetables
grown in war gardens, with the slogan Back
up the Cannon by use Of the Gamer"
In nearly every section OF the country
there has been an appreCiable and encourag
ing increase in the number of war gardens
this year, the commission announced. This
has ranged anywhere from 10 to 60 per cent.
In the eastern portions there was failure 20
note a gain on the early returns
The greatest percentage of increase" the
rpn1 minis inn Stat MD h,
central western States and Pacific coast
taking any one section of the country as a
whole. There an awakening has taken place
which revealed itself in an enthusiastic
widespread drive to help home food produce
ton. OF the total number of war gardens in
the United States the preliminary reports
show that more than 100000 of them
2,276,0OO, to be eXaCt-were in the central
western territory. There was n gain of fully
so per cent over the war garden activity of
last year.
The eastern States, including New Eng
land, New York Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and Delaware. on the whole showed little in
crease over last year. In certain parts of all
this territory there has been a better show
ing, and particularly has there been a greater
activity among manufacturing concerns in
providing land for their employees but these
gains have been counteractcd to a certain
extent by less activity in other places. SO
that the amount of food homegrown along
the upper Atlantic coast this year will be
slightly If any greater than last year.
Better cultivation in hundreds of cases
may make up for what is lacking in num-
bers. In New York city the park department
alone reports 1000 war gardens 20 by 40.
The total number of war gardens in this ter
ritory, as shown by the reports, Is S4s 900,
of which 737. 900 are in New York Pennsyl-
Nania, New Jersey and Delaware.
The South has made excellent record.
certain States in particular having made no.
| table gains. Including Texas and Oklahoma
there are total of 1.246,O00 war gardens
IN the southern States this year. one-fourth
of the number in the entire United States
California, Washington and Oregon show a
total of 463. 900 war gardens. That the war
gardeners intend to save a great part Of the
garden crop Is shown in the 200 entries re-
ceived up to July for the canning contests
, garden clubs are organizing all over the
country"