The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1918-09-21
Will "Keep the Food Coming" as
General Pershing Has
Asked.
Big INCREASE This YEAR
Central West and Pacific Coast Espe-
ciaIIy Are Doing WeIl-National
Commission Offers Prizes for
Best HOMEGROWN Canned
Vegetables.

the United States answered PerShing'S
call to keep the Food Coming"
There are, according to figures being
tabulated by the national war garden
commission, 100000 war gardens in
the United States. These figures are
incomplete and the estimates were
made on reports received up to June
Is. This number indicates an increase
of 40 per cent over last year when
there were 100000 garden muniti0n
plants at work. Figuring in the in
creased cost this year over last, fur
Their estimates will be made by the
commission both on the number of gar
dens and the estimated crop value.
Taking these early figures into
consideration" said Charles Lathrop
Pack, president of the commission, in
making public the preliminary survey,
together with the increased canning
demonstration work being done by the
United States department of agricul-
ture in cities and towns, we feel safe
in saying the forecast of L. 00,000,OO0
quarts in tin and glass of canned stuff,
made by the department, will be
reached"
Bio Prizes Are offered.
The report points to the early plant
ing season this year, which was made
possible by weather generally favor
able throughout the country. To en-
courage saving the garden crop the
national war garden commission, which
planted a 400.acre demonstration war
garden at Camp Dix, n. j., Is offering
$4,000 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 coun-
try there has been an appreciable and
encouraging 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 a failure to note
gain on the early returns.
"The greatest percentage of in
crease" the commissions statement
adds, twas made in the Central West
ern states and Pacific coast, taking
any one section of the country as
whole. There an awakening has taken
place which revealed itself in an en-
thusiastic, widespread drive to help
home food production. OF the total
number of war gardens in the United
States, the preliminary reports show
that more than 100000 Of them
2,276,000 to be eXact-were in the
Central Western territory. There was
a gain of fully 80 per cent over the
war garden activity of last year.
Eastern States Tagging.
"The Eastern states, including New
England, New York, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey and Delaware, on the
whole showed little increase over last
year. In certain parts of all this ter
ritory there has been a better show
ing, and particularly has there been
greater activity among manufacture
ing concerns in providing land for
their employees; but these gains have
been counteracted 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 lack
ing in numbers. In New York the park
department alone reports 1000 war
gardens &c by 40. The total number
of war gardens in this territory, as
shown by the reports, is $4,000, of
which $4,000 are in New York, Penn
sylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
THE South has made an excellent
record, certain states in particular
having made notable gains. Including
Texas and Oklahoma, there are total
of 1,246000 war gardens in the South
ern states this year, one-fourth of the
number in the entire United States.
| California, Washington and Oregon
! show a total of 100000 war gardens.
That the war gardeners intend to save
a great part Of the garden crop is
shown in the 200 entries received up
| to July for the canning contests that
garden clubs are organizing all over