Smyrna times., 1882-12-27
Awarding Corn Prizes at Della
ware College for Best Crops.

II " IVA OAh3 WIN AAoON Wv DOANN |
ware College for Best Crops.
An interesting meeting was held in
the oratory of the Delaware College
Building at Newark, Wednesday, on
the occasion of the awarding of the
corn prizes offered by Delaware College
and the Hon. William Dean. Presi-
dent Purnell called the meeting to
order and delivered an interesting ad-
dress, in which he dwelt on the impor
lance of the agricultural interests of
the country and graphically illustrated !
the dependence of all other interests
| thereupOn. He quoted official figures
in reference to the yield of corn as com
piled for 1873 as follows: Total yield
i'll the United States during that year,
13&S, ,21S,75O bushels, valued at SAL
153 405; average to the acre for the
thirteen years preceding 1878, a trifie
over &c bushels. Delaware produced
in 1878 from the 1SO,O0O acres planted,
| 4,5C0O,000 bushels, an average of %
bushels per acre, and the crop was val
ued at 81 ,755,OOO. 1t is stated that the
acreage and average production have
both been materially increased since
that date.
Professor Harrington of the chair of
Agriculture then read the conditions,
Of which the essential features of the
college prizes are that the boys contest
ing must be between and Is years OF
age and must do all the work except
the plOwing, narrowing and husking
in which they might have help. The
ground cultivated must be exactly ono
one quarter of an acre, or 10,80O square
feet. and local committee of three dis
interested parties must see the corr
huslied and measured seventy-fvC
pounds to the bushel, and certify t.
the quantity of corn raised and tn
amount Of land cultivated
William b. Walton, Of Newark, age
1G, was awarded the first prize of $50 il
gold, he having raised 2,2854 pounds
or 30.47 bushels, on his quarter of a
acre or at the rate of 121 .S8 bushels pc
acre. The soil was a clay loan plOwe
May 24th and planted May 29th, i
hills three feet apart and four grains t
the hill. Two and three stalks were a
lowed to grow in each hill. He use
eight cartloads of hog manure sprea
broadcast and plowed in and q
pounds Of super-phOsphate sprea
afterward and narrowed in. The var
ETY. was the Chester county mammot
and it was hoed once by hand and
horse six times, the estimated lab
being about three days. 1t grew fou
teen feet at the highest part and ave
aged eleven feet.
Charles Homewood, also of Newar
= aged II years, received the secOI
prize of $40 in gold. He raised %
pounds, or 81 10 bushels, which is IN
40 bushels per acre. His soil W
loamy with gravel subsoil, and ha
ing been plowed April Goth, was plar
ed with the Gourd variety April got
Six grains were placed in hills thr
feet apart, and but two stalks were ;
lowed to mature. Twelve cubic var
of rough manure were spread broa
cast and plOwed under, after whii
twelve cubic yards of composted ma
ure was spread and narrowed in. L
corn was cultivated three times, a
= while the tallest was fifteen feet his
it averaged thirteen feet.
Steward l.. Beck, aged IL yea
whose home is near Delaware Ci
won the third prize of $3.50 in SO
He rnised 2,O56.1 pounds, or q
bushels, which is 1O9,64 bushels
acre. His land was yellow clay los
plowed May 11th, and planted W
common yellow corn May 23rd.
planted in rows four feet apart {
single grains fifteen inches apart in
row. He spread twelve loads
- acre OF barn yard manure broadcas
April and plowed it under. He h
it once and the tallest corn was t
teen feet.
Walter S. Burris of Kirkwood, a
IA years, received the fourth prize
in gold. His crop was 1880 pounds
26.40 bushels, which is 105.6O bus
per acre. His ground was sa
wzw loan plowed about the middle of A
W and planted in hills three feet
VI inches apart with common yellow
w May goth. He placed four and
grains in hill but only allowed tV
mature. He spread four loads OF
manure broadcast and plowed it u
and then spread 300 pounds of
phate broadcast and narrowed
His tallest corn was twelve fe'
height with an average of ten feet.
Edward M. Phillips, of Faulkl
raised l,677 % pounds, or 22.S6 bus
give which is S9. Al bushels an acre, ant
LOW ceived the fifth prize of $3.50 in 60
The following nine contestants
awarded years subscription t.