Evening star., 1943-08-19

0cCauSe Sue pcrSeVereo, MrS.
Bertha N. Gustafson, 386o Alabama
avenue Sc, enjoyed the thrill Of
hearing her name called yesterday
Is winner Of . SIS War bond and
first place In the women's garden
division among several hundred
Census Bureau-Navy Garden Club
contestants.
Youthful vandals and drought
did not deter her. With her hus-
band, she cultivated their Is by 50
foot plot at Suitland. Because they
were able to get gasoline for gar
dening purposes, their work also
provided recreation, and tending
the crop proved good exercise.
Other Winners Get, Bonds.
Sharing top honors with Mrs.
Gustafson were James H. Graves,
1914 Seventeenth street NV, win
ner Of the standard garden prize,
and the team Of Howard n. Saxton,
1884 Newton street NE, and Roy
J. Stewart, 1909 Park road NV,
winners Of the original garden
award. Each division was award
ed $25 War bond.
The award helped convince Mrs.
Gustafson, who is hardly veteran
gardener, that gardening Is her
favorite pastime henceforth.
I'VE counted up the value Of our
crop, based on retail prices. and
figured we ate about $l6 worth OF
produce from our plot" she said.
I'VE also were able to can IS pints
Of green peas, beets, lima beans
and SOME tomatoes. Next year Ell
be back working on another crop. :"
To get OF to q good start, Mrs.
Hllstafspn t6ok two half days from
annual have To plant sher crop.
Then she averaged about two nights
aSweek cultivating It, DURING the
recent dry spell she hauled 4Sef
to irrigate the plot.
Winner Born on Farm. :
The other major winners might
be termed veteran gardeners. Mr..
Graves, for example, was born on 4
farm on. the James >River near
Richmond, Va. He said he appre :,
ciated winning the $25 War bond
but the biggest thing he got cut Of
his 90 by 5o-foot plot was the fun
he had. -.
None Of US went into Victory
Gardens In the hope Of winning
prizes. We, instead, kept in good
physical condition and watched our
growing crops with a degree OF
pride, pride that wasn't lessened
when we were able to eat fresh
vegetables"
Asked the formula for raising a
prize crop. Mr.. Graves laughingly
said: "A mixture of perspiration
and perhaps per cent inspiration.
For example, think the judges
attention was drawn to my plot
because of the soy bean border I
placed around It."
Saxon Long . Farmer"
Mr.. Saxton was so much inter-
ested in agriculture as far back as
1904 that he and cousin went to
the Worlds Fair In st. Louis on
profits derived from truck gar
den. He modestly disclaimed any
credit, bestowing 1t instead on his
partner, Mr.. Stewart. The latter
used the same hoe with which he
worked garden in Potomac Park
during World War /. He literally
loves that old hoe" Mr.. Saxton re-
marked.
What had been lush fields of
green in May have become scorched
by the protracted dry spell. But the
some 400 Federal employees who
kept up their gardens to the end,
out OF 524 who originally staked
out plots, derived the satisfaction
of seeing it through, DR.. Phillip
Hauser, assistant director Of the
Census Bureau, and Rear Admiral
G. S. Bryan Of the Navy Hydro
graphic Once emphasized in pre-
senting the awards. Agricultural
Agent P. G. Clarke of Prince
Georges County told of the part
food is destined to play in the
winning of the war, and urged all
contestants to work gardens next
year.
Other prizes awarded were:
Original Garden Prize.
Howard A. Saxon and Roy J.
Stewart. $25; Roy Pier. $40; Ensign