WARTIME LIVING: 18,000,000 Gardens

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One thing the Agriculture Department wants to avoid is the gardener whose January enthusiasm melts under a July sun. Thus the Department emphasizes that gardening is work as well as fun, requires sound planning as well as patriotism. Chief points for amateur gardeners to remember: 1) be sure the ground is good (if weeds grew there in profusion last year, vegetables probably will this year); 2) avoid starting the garden too early (wait until the soil is crumbly after the spring thaws); 3) use seeds sparingly; 4) keep after weeds and bugs; 5) be sure that the garden is not out of reach of a hose for dry spells; 6) keep the ground busy by planting late crops after the early ones have ripened; 7) concentrate on easily grown plants: leaf lettuce, greens, endive, cabbage, rutabagas, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes, beans, beets.

For all Claude Wickard's precautions, 1943's Victory gardens will produce many a laugh for professional farmers. One Dallas newsman bought a pound of turnip seed (enough for an acre) for his modest back yard. Seed companies have received dozens of inquiries for coffee seed, got one request for succotash seed.