The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-12-29
HONORS BOY CORN GROWERS
INTERESTING OCCASION IN SEC.
RETARY WILSON'S OFFICE

Winners OF the Prizes Given n Erof.
Trip to Washington, and Are Re-
ceiVed by the Chief Farm Man.
There was an interesting occasion
IN the office of the Secretary of Ag-
rlculture December IA, 1909. at $40
O'Clock. Secretary Wilson present
lea diplomas to Bascomb Usher of
South Carolina, Dewitt Lundy of
mississippi, Elmer Halter of Arkan-
sas and Ralph Bellwood of Virginia.
These boys were among the H.
800 in the Boys Demonstration
Work In the south who planted one
acre of corn apiece and worked it
under instructions from the United
states Department of Agriculture.
Or. 5. A. Knapp, who has charge of
the farm demonstration work, offered
a trip to Washington to the boy in
Mississippi who should get the best
results. The State Bankers Asso-
citation in Arkansas offered a similar
prize IN that state. Citizens of South
Carolina and Virginia duplicated the
offers there.
The above named boys, all under
eighteen years of age, visited the
department of agriculture and other
interesting sights of the capital, and
We're received by the president.
thousands of dollars worth of
prizes have been offered this year
to these boys clubs in the south by
merchants, boards of trade and pub
lie spirited citizens generally, under
regulations furnished by the United
States Department of Agriculture.
These regulations do not encourage
freak yields, but are drawn to en-
courage profitable farming. The
basis of awards rests on showing of
| profits, written records, exhibits of
ears and stalks, and yield per acre.
The greatest yield does not get the
prize in every case. Still there were
some fine yields this year. The prize
winner from South Carolina made
1872 II bushels per acre; a boy in
Mississippi made LAT bushels; a boy
| in North Carolina made 1876 bushels,
and the Virginia winner 1872 bushels.
More than fifty boys made over 100
bushels per acre. In several coun-
ties no boy fell below SO bushels per
acre, and the club average was about
| so bushels.
! Arrangements are being made in
all of the southern states to send
/ the prize winners to Washington next
! year.
! In brief address to the boys Sec
rotary Wilson declared that they and
the boys engaged in like work are
the only hope we have for the con-
tinued greatness and prosperity OF
| the country" He pointed out that
the south now, in agriculture and in
manufacturing was prospecting as
never before, because the men and
women of the south had put into
the work their own energy and abil-
| ity, and in no sense were dependent
upon the capital or the industry OF
people from other parts of the coun-
! try.
These diplomas" he concluded,
are unique. No boys ever have re-
ceived similar recognition of their
merit. Nothing l have done since
l have been secretary of agriculture
has given me more pleasure than to
present them to you. You have
earned them. You have begun right
You now are in line to achieve the
highest honors of your respective
states"
Prof w. H. Smith, county super
intendent of Holmes county, Missis-
sippi, and one of the leaders in the
Boys Corn Club movement of the
Farmers COOPERATIVE Demonstra-
ton Work, was in Washington to
witness this Interesting event