The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-04-13
THE STATE CORN CONTEST.
To Be Conducted By A State Com
mission. There Will Be A Con-
test of Farmers and a Spe-
cial Contest For School
Children.

Columbia, March 49, -Commis-
sloner Watson returned last. night
from Clemson college, where on We'd
nesday meeting Of the state corn
contest commission, created by the
legislature, was held. The other men,
bers are Dr. Nell. and, Prof: Harper;
Of; Clemson. Practically all Of the de-
tails Of the contest we're arranged by
the commission; and Judging from
the; inquiries. already, received there
will be a large number Of entries.
All of. the: commissioners believe that
this contest will result in great good
to. the: farmers. Of the state and stimu-
late the growing Of. cereals. It was
determined to have all correspondence
60 through: the departmental Office at,
Columbia, and Commissioner Watson
is. to receive the entries, and the pro-
duets when they are ready. The COM
mission determined to adopt the bene-
fetal plan used, in Illinois, and some
of. the other: leading state, of provid-
ing for d school children s corn con-,
test. i'm connection with the main con-
test, and Commissioner Watson will
at once furnish, a supply Of, circulars,
etc., relating to: this to- the: county
snperinteadents of education.
After considering the matter Of
the South. Carolina contest and this
states participation in the national
contest in all it's: phases, the commits
sion issued. the following: ..-.
To the farmers of South Carolina:
The, largest, crop of corn ever pro-
dnced. ON. an acre Of land was grown
by Capt. q. ]. Drake, Of Marlboro
county, S. C. In, this great contest,
whiehiwas> conducted by the American
Agriculturalist. several years ago,
Capt. Drake produced on single acre
255 bushels Of shelled corn. This mar
velous yield surprised farmers of the
great corn belt,. and for many years
they: have been trying to break this
record. It is doubtful if the world
record Of Capt. Drake will ever be
broken. No single event in the his
tory Of agriculture has called forth
more favorable comment to the agri-
cultural possibilities Of the south than
the crop of corn grown by Capt.
Drake. He not only won the grand
prize offered by the American Agri-
culturist, but he also won the $500
given by the State Of South Carolina,
as well as many minor prizes.
Another cereal contest Of much
wider range is now being conducted
by the Orange-Judd company, pub
fishers Of the American Agricultural
ist, in which they offer $4,000 to be
in prizes. This contest is
national in scope, and thousands Of
farmers from all parts Of the country
have already made application for en-
try. Hundreds Of prizes from various
individuals have been offered, and
farmers have an opportunity of win
ming one or more Of prizes in this con-
test.
The Objects of the Contest
are as follows:
i. To encourage proper selection
IF seed and better grade Of soil.
2. To center attention upon va
rieties that are superior for each
section, and to introduce seed Of
such varieties that are pure and true
10 name, and to prove that when such
varieties are grown under normal
conditions it is not necessary to so
frequently change seed.
3. To encourage better methods Of
culture and harvesting, so as to large
Iy increase average yields per acre
and improve quality.
4. To show that such results can
be had at less expense of time, mon
ey and labor when increase in yield is
5. To prove methods of marketing
and conversion Of crop into largest
possible cash returns.
- 6. To increase grain growers
profits on each acre each year. -
7. To promote the keeping of in
telligent records and the use Of busi-
ness principles in farming, besides
fostering the farmers prosperity and
the welfare Of the whole people.
Nature of the Contest.
There will be three general classes,
corn, wheat and oats. For