CONTENTS

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

APPENDIX

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on how to purchase notecards, prints and posters taken from
The War Garden Victorious

Color Plates

WILL YOU HAVE A PART IN VICTORY?

"Every Garden a Munition Plant"

James Montgomery Flagg

A Poster Spreading the Idea of Militant War Gardens

Maginel Wright Enright

A Poster for 1919, Symbolic of Victory

Maginel Wright Enright

CAN VEGETABLES, FRUIT AND THE KAISER TOO

J. Paul Verrees

A Poster Which Was Used in 1918, and Which, Amended–Following Germany's Defeat–Was Also Forceful in 1919

OTHER POSTERS

PIT STORAGE

   Cabbage

     For late varieties of cabbage the pit should be long and narrow. The cabbages are placed in rows with heads down and covered with dirt. No other covering is needed. The removal of a portion of this supply does not disturb the remainder. (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6*––Cabbage stored, roots up, in a bank of earth. The place must be well drained. The cabbages are covered with earth, but this need not be as thick as for some vegetables, as slight freezing does no harm.

     Cabbages may also be stored by placing the whole plants in a trench, roots down and plants close together. The roots should be covered with dirt. A frame should be built around the trench by driving stakes at the corners and placing boards against these to form the enclosure. The construction of such a trench is shown in Fig. 7. The boards are banked with earth and across the top of the trench boards or poles are placed, supported by the frame. These should be covered with straw, hay or corn fodder, for protection of the contents of the trench. Two feet of the straw or similar material will be required in cold climates.

Fig. 7*––This shows cabbage, pulled with roots, stored in a shallow trench, with roots down. The roots are covered with earth. The stakes, projecting 2 feet above the surface of the earth, serve as supports for boards or "poles which make an enclosure. This frame should be banked with dirt (b). Across the top place poles or plank and cover with straw, hay or corn fodder (a). Make the trench as long as necessary and any width up to 8 feet.

     Mature heads of cabbage of long-keeping sorts, such as Danish Ball Head, may be cut from the plant and stored one layer deep on shelves in cool, frost-proof cellars.

    For outdoor storage one of the best forms is a mound shaped pit. To prepare for this remove two or three inches of earth and line this shallow excavation with hay, straw, leaves or similar material. Place the vegetables on this in a conical pile. Cover the vegetables with several inches of the material used in making the lining. Cover this with 3 or 4 inches of earth. As severe weather approaches the outer covering should be increased. An additional layer of hay or similar material may be placed over the layer of earth and on top of this another layer of earth. In extremely cold climates the total thickness of earth layers should be as much as 12 inches. Over the outer layer of earth pile manure or corn stalks for added protection. To give ventilation have the inner layer of straw project through the outer covering and extend to the top of the cone. For protection from rain and snow this opening should be covered. A board laid over the top and weighted with a stone is suitable for this purpose. An idea of a construction is given in Fig. 5. (page 28)
     It is well to make several small pits rather than one large one, for the reason that when a pit has been once opened the entire contents should be removed. This form of storage is used for potatoes, beets, carrot, turnips, parsnips, cabbage and salsify. It is well to store several varieties of vegetables in one pit so that the opening of a single pit will afford a supply of all of them. In following this plan it is desirable to separate the various crops by the use of straw or leaves.
     When a pit has been opened it is impossible to give adequate protection to vegetables therein. For this reason those not required for immediate use should be removed, placed in the basement storage room, or other cool place, and used as needed. This emphasizes the importance of making small pits, each one holding not more than two to six weeks' supply.

Fig. 3––Shallow bins or shelves with board sides, for storing root crops in cool cellar. The air of the room must not be allowed to become too dry, as this will cause the vegetables to shrivel. Potatoes must be protected from light.

    Instead of making a dirt pit, barrels may be used in which to place vegetables (Fig. 8. page 29) Make a slight depression the length of the barrel and put in a thick layer of straw or leaves. On this place the barrel. Cover the barrel with successive layers of straw or leaves, and dirt. As the weather grows colder put on more dirt until there is from 14 to 18 inches of covering. For ease in opening make a door at one end, against which pile earth and manure of sufficient thickness to prevent freezing.