Evening star., 1947-01-19

iNO1I1ClEIAC 0lSIuooL0 WV A4RJOA
phases Of the Nations garden needs;
first, the immediate need for veg
etable gardens, and second, the de-
sirahility Of q longtime gardening
program. Both are matters that
concern Washington and the sub
urban areas.
We can all agree with the confer
ence's recommendation that great
many families. will need vegetable
tgardens in 1947 If they are to meet
the high cost of living. Gardens
serve to cut down on the cost Of
food, while helping to insure an
adequate diet with the necessary
variety of health protecting, vita
min-rich vegetables. These are i'm
portant considerations to which
every family should give consider
able thought.
OF course, there are many gar
Geners in this area who would have
a garden simply because Of the sat
Iisfaction they get from producing
an. ample supply of fresh vegetables.
Gardening is hobby and a recrea-
ton for many people, hobby that
benefits the entire family,
Leadership Now Lacking.
We can all agree there is need
for gardens in 1947, one that will
not be so easy to meet, since much
of the land made available to Wash
lington Victory gardeners in 1885
is no longer to be had. 1t Is still
possible in many areas to find vacant
lots or garden space, but without
! the Victory garden offices in the
District and nearby areas of Vir-
ginia and Maryland, there is little
likelihood of an organized leader
ship to obtain the land which will
be needed. Perhaps the National
Capital Parks Service will allow
gardening in some areas. The pest
way to locate such land is for a
group of gardeners to organize ard
present their needs to the proper
authorities, since they control the
only land available to many families
! in the more congested areas Of
the city.
The patriotic motive for garden
ing is past and many are prone to
think 1t is the only important force
The economic and nutritional needs
are as real and affect as many of
our citizens. They justify community
action and leadership so that those
living in the more congested areas
may have the opportunity of helping
themselves in this period when max
ing ends meet and providing proper
nutrition Is apt to be difficult for
many.
The longtime Program.
The second phase, the longtime
gardening program, is of major sig
niflcance-one that needs construc-
tive leadership at all levels. The
conference agreed that the problem
was too important and had too
many phases to be dealt with in
series of resolutions. The best So
luton seemed to be petition to the
President for the creation of an ad-
visory commission or permanent
body patterned after the Country
Life Commission of generation ago
whose duty would be to advise thC
President and the Congress as to
the needs in America for more at
tractive, healthier and better way
of living. Planned progress
compared with hit and miss develop
ment which has brought so many
blighted areas to our communities
in the past.
In recent years we have noted
thousands Of new homes being built
in the suburbs of Washington and
other cities, largely because many
people like more freedom and dis
like the hustle and noise Of the city.
Many families enjoy having green
things growing about them. They
want their children to grow up where
there are lawns, trees and flowers.
These are the surface reactions OF
people seeking new homes.
People living in the suburbs with
a bit of garden space available are
likely to be better situated to cope
with lean year hardships. They
will have a bit more security and a
bit more independence if they can
grow garden and keep few chick
ems.
Children who grow up IN an at
tractive neighborhood are not so apt
to have distorted sense of fitness.
These children may have job to
do in caring for the flowers and
garden that can be made most in
teresting and educational to them.