Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-07
Expert Advises Americans .
To Begin Raising Own Food
H. W. Hochboum Says
Victory Gardens vitol
To Meet War Needs
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
1T is the patriotic as well as the
prudent duty Of every American who
can possibly do so. to grow some
thing for his table during the sum-
mer Of 1943, for America needs mil
lions of victory gardens to win the
war;" said H. w. Hochbaum, chair
man Of the Agriculture Department
Committee on victory gardens, and
chief Of its division of field co-opera-
ton for extension work since 1889.
America must have 5000 900 farm
gardens and $4,000. 600 city, town and
suburban gardens to meet the war
time food production problem" he
declared. Victory gardeners can
help In many ways to meet the war
time production problem, since
everything they grow makes some
thing available for someone else.
Fifteen tomato plants, planted in q
sunny, well-drained stretch of ones
yard, in properly prepared, fortified
and adequately watered soil, should
yield 30 quarts of tomatoes and 80
quarts means the equivalent of $40
points on your ration card, Mrs.
Homemaker."
Soldiers Need Feod.
Here, are some of the facts of the
food situation problem as this spe-
cialist sees them. One-fourth of the
Nations total commercial food pro-
duction in 1943 will be needed for
the armed forces and their Allies
and the workers who make their
weapons. The size Of our armed
forces and the length of our battle
lines grow daily. That means more
food Immediately and more for
future use. Planning for military
campaigns requires that the accum-
ulation Of food stores be started
many months In advance, 50 that
there will be no uncertainty about
food supplies when the lighting
starts.
The damands Of war on metal
supplies make 1t impossible to meet
military and lease-lend needs for
canned goods and still supply normal
amounts to civilians In the United
States. Thirty-flve per cent Of the
1912 pack OF the most important
canned vegetables was set aside for
Army and lease lend needs. More
than half OF the 1943 commercial
pack Of vegetables will be purchased
by the Government. This means
that civilians will have to depend
more and more upon fresh supplies
through home production. Further
more, because Of the military lease-
lend needs for canned supplies. It
will be important for victory gar
deners to plan to store and preserve
for winter use as much as possible
Of the products Of their gardens.
Transportation Big Problem.
Mr.. Hochbaum warned that the
wartime burden on the Nations
transportation system will make It
impossible to ship over long dis
tances the normal amounts Of fresh
vegetables and fruits, especially the
more bulky leafy vegetables. This
In itself viii require the produc-
ton Of more Of the civilian supplies
close to consuming areas. One Of
the advantages to the home victory
gardener Is that he can have In
vegetables and fruits 1T his door,
step and ON aliss pantry shelves and
IN ~ cellar nl Pavement.
Tomatoes, green and yellow leafy
vegetables. he reminded, are '.mlsts"
In wartime Is well as at al other
times and richest In the important
vitamins A and G. Hall Of Gun Of
slowed green's. he suggests, will sup
ply most Of the vitamtn A we need
for day, and similarly three
fourths Of q cup Of chopped green
cabbage win approximate the vita
min G requirement.
In connection with planning for
and starting victory gardens, he
repeated Secretary Of Agriculture
Wickards admonition that they
aren't like Topsy: they won't Just
grow.
Those who plant them should be
prepared to take care Of them faith
fully through the spring and sum-
mer season. even into the fall in
this climate, for We cannot afford
to waste seeds, fertilizer. tools, In
secticide and effort this year." Mr..
Hochbaum said.
Practical Gardener.
Mr.. Hochbaum, in addition to be-
ing an agricultural specialist with q
national reputation and . lecturer
on summer extension courses at the
Universities Of Idaho, Utah, Yer
mont and Cornell, is 4 practical
gardener.
On his garden plot in his Takoma
Park home at 1880 Blair road, he
puts his scientific theories into
practice. Not only has he for many
seasons raised practically all Of the
vegetables used on his table but
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